We give thanks this Thanksgiving season for the life of Anne Frances Mattern: mother, wife, grandmother, neighbor, music teacher, builder of public school orchestral programs, co-founder of The Green Bay Civic Symphony, master gardener, history buff, and fierce advocate of democracy.

Born to the late Edna Defenderfer and Rev. C. Robert Defenderfer on May 31, 1935, in Mt Auburn, IN, the young Anne Frances became an organist at an early age, playing for all of her father's religious services in every church he was pastor of around the state of Indiana. Wherever she moved, Anne was making friends easily, learning from her teachers, playing cello, studying French, swimming, and playing tennis; she also enjoyed summers spent working on her Aunt Jessie and Uncle Elias Teeter's Indiana farm where she developed a love and respect for pigs.

In 1949 her family moved to Green Bay, WI, where Anne attended West Green Bay High School. She made great life-long friends, honed her musical craft playing with multiple music ensembles including Ralph Holter's Green Bay Symphonette and The Green Bay Symphony, and served five years as organist of Resurrection Lutheran Church.

After graduating high school in 1953 Anne enrolled in the Conservatory of Music at Lawrence College in Appleton, WI, on a cello scholarship, where she served as a Freshman Dorm Counselor in her Junior Year and worked in the Conservatory office for 55¢ an hour. At Lawrence, Anne was elected to Mortar Board National Women's Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, Delta Gamma Sorority, and for two years served as President of the Lawrence Women's Association. Acting roles with Attic Theater in Appleton introduced Anne to her future husband Gerald "Gerry" Mattern.

Anne graduated Lawrence Conservatory in 1957 with a BA in music and minors in French and Drama, then moved to Grosse Point, Michigan, where she taught 6th grade Orchestra, Band, and Chorus at Mason Elementary School. She performed as a cellist with the Grosse Point Symphony and The Detroit Women's Symphony.

Anne married Gerald Mattern in 1959, and soon after children David and Anne were born. The young family moved to De Pere, WI, and children Johanna and Phillip made the family complete.

While the children were young, Anne worked with wives of St. Norbert College faculty to host blood and charity drives, and she served four years on the original board of the first Green Bay Montessori School where she hired teaching faculty.

As a cellist, Anne leaves a rich legacy of musical performance: she performed with the Green Bay Symphony for 30 years, the St. Norbert Collegiate Chorale Orchestra for 15 years, and the St. Norbert College Chamber Strings for 3 years; she founded the Nicolet String Quartet and with it performed for 31 years; in 1995, with her husband Gerald, she co-founded the Green Bay Civic Symphony and performed for 22 years. The Civic Symphony continues to flourish today under the direction of Conductor Seong-Kyung Graham.

As an educator, Anne served as orchestra director of De Pere Public Schools from 1980-1991, teaching at Dickinson Elementary School, De Pere Middle School, and De Pere High School. She also established the De Pere Orchestra Parents Association, a support group offering music scholarships to De Pere Orchestra students. She established full concert orchestras at the middle school and high school, elevating the De Pere Orchestra Program to one of the most outstanding programs in the state. After retiring from De Pere Public Schools, Anne taught in Green Bay Public Schools at Southwest High School and Lombardi Middle School, and taught adaptive music to disabled students throughout the district. Throughout her teaching career Anne served as adjudicator for solo and ensemble festival and orchestral competitions. She also mentored many students through the process of competition, leading countless students to become state awardees.

Anne taught private cello, violin, viola, and piano students for over 50 years. She continued studying music pedagogy, earning accreditation in Suzuki Method teaching for violin and cello. Anne also taught String Methods to Music degree students at St. Norbert College for over 10 years. She was a member of several professional organizations: Wisconsin Music Educators Conference, National Music Educators Conference, American String Teachers Association, National School Orchestra Association, and Suzuki Association of the Americas, and she served on the Board of Green Bay Civic Music.

Upon retiring from public school teaching, Anne and Gerry turned to their deep call for civic duty and served in many Elder Hostel programs around the US, including Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in New York for medically fragile campers. Anne also volunteered for nearly 15 years with the Brown County Meals on Wheels Program delivering hot meals to elderly and disabled participants and Unity Hospice providing companionship to hospice care recipients and respite for caregivers.

Anne adored learning and preserving local history and especially enjoyed reading the work of Jack Rudolph. In 1999, with the help of their son Phillip, owner of Classic Renovations, Inc., Anne and Gerry completed restoration work on their 100-year-old Queen Anne-style home, winning a Historic Restoration Award from the De Pere Historical Society. She served on the board of the De Pere Historical Society and loved dressing up as an elf annually for Santa's House festivities at White Pillars Museum. In 2014 Anne and Gerry won the Nan Workman Volunteer Award from the De Pere Historical Society. Her children can attest to their mom's insistence that the car pull over to have everyone get out, read, and discuss the historical significance of every roadside historical marker on family camping trips, even if it didn't have a bathroom.

In the 2000's Anne studied to become a Master Gardener and turned the family's lot and a half yard into a rich tapestry of perennial color. There is no place Anne would rather be than in the garden with her husband and her dog resting nearby while she worked.

Friendships were important to Anne and she regularly got together with the "Lunch Bunch," her friends from high school, the "Bow Babes," the women string players she knew, and her college friends. She loved her neighbors and often sat on the porches of beloved neighbors catching up and chatting about the state of the world.

Traveling to Europe was a wonderful end chapter in her married life: Anne and Gerry took trips to Poland, Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany, Greece, and the Czech Republic, but the destination she loved most was Ukraine, the country she spoke about frequently after the Russian invasion began.

After Gerry's death in 2017, Anne moved into a senior living community. Her children still marvel at their mom's ability to endure the Covid shutdown while living in a senior community. Anne endured many health challenges, so many of which could have easily ended her life, but astonishingly she kept on. She credited her resilience and longevity to drinking Kefir and eating oatmeal every day. Without a doubt, her children believe she is one of the strongest people they have ever known. They are eternally grateful for her dying peacefully in her sleep.

Anne was preceded in death by her adoring husband of 58 years, Gerald Mattern, her eldest son David Mattern, mother Edna Davis Defenderfer, father Rev. C. Robert Defenderfer, brother John (Cathy) Defenderfer, half-brother Robert C. Defenderfer, parents-in-law Anton and Martha Mattern, brothers- and sisters-in-law Richard (Phyllis) Mattern, Kenneth (Jane) Mattern, Eugene (Lois) Mattern, Therese, Mary (Arthur) Jones, Anthony Mattern, Martin "Bud" Mattern, nephews Joseph Jones, Tommy Mattern, and Caleb Harris, and great-niece Sarah Defenderfer; grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Anne is survived by her daughter Anne (Richard) Sato of Beaverton, Oregon, daughter Johanna (John) Mattern Allen of Milwaukee, and son Phillip Mattern (Cheryl Elmore) of Green Bay; grandchildren Amy Ullrich (Drew Tarr) and great-grandson Sebastian of Augusta, GA, Sonja Westerberg and great grandpup Skye of Evanston, IL, Lukas Westerberg (Sarah Quintenz) and great-grandsons Jake, Matthew and great-granddaughter Madeline of Chicago, grandson Vincent Mattern of Green Bay, granddaughter Carley Mattern (Mathew Graziano) of Milwaukee, granddaughter Akio and grandson Michael Sato of Beaverton, and grandson Jack Henry Allen of Milwaukee; daughters-in-law Cynthia Olson of Green Bay, and Margaret Quinnette of Geneva, IL; and beloved family friend, sister-from-another-mister, Elaine Moss; Anne is further survived by brothers- and sisters-in-law Father Joseph Mattern of Omro, James (Joy) Mattern of Oak Creek, Jane (James) Spensley of Sacramento, California, Catherine (Katie) Franson nee Mattern of Hopkins, Minnesota, Roseann Mattern of Loomis, California; nephew Eric (Jennifer) Defenderfer of Brighton, MI, great-niece Ellen (Luke) Sejkora and children of Westport, Connecticut; niece, Kristin J. Mickle and her children, Tess and Quinn, of Green Bay; many nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews; half-sister Johanna (Defenderfer) Wendelin of Cambridge, Mass, and half-brother Daniel Defenderfer of Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Family and friends may gather from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Old St. Joseph Catholic Church, 123 Grant Street, De Pere. A Memorial Service of music, poetry and prayer will begin at 1:00 p.m. with co-officiants Fr. Joseph Mattern and Jennifer LaPorte, Chaplain of St Croix Hospice. Reception in celebration of Anne's life to follow. Her memorial service will be the best concert no one needs tickets for.

As an expression of sympathy, instead of flowers, family humbly suggests donations be made to these non-profit organizations "In Memory of Anne Mattern":

The Green Bay Civic Symphony, Pink Umbrella Theater Company, Milwaukee's professional theater company by and for people with disabilities; Anne's grandson Jack is an actor with Pink Umbrella; Anne was deeply moved seeing a production of their beautiful musical movement piece "SHINE" about life post-pandemic, and Wisconsin Public Radio, her constant musical companion. Please see below to the "Donations" tab for more information.

Family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff of Bellevue Senior Living, Woodside Lutheran Rehab, Skilled Care, and Assisted Living Home, and most especially to Crystal and Nicole of St. Croix Hospice, Green Bay, for their expert, dedicated, compassionate care of our mother.

Anne says: "Treat yourself often to my favorite frozen custard--a scoop of Zesty's in a cup with a pink spoon." Better yet, join our family in having a scoop with a favorite slice of Thanksgiving pie in celebration of our mother Anne. P.S.: Every day's Thanksgiving.