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Written by his brother David:
Laurence Dalrymple Matson, 73
Friend for life, brilliant artist and entertaining storyteller
During the night of 15 March 2023, Laurence Dalrymple Matson died in his sleep at his home in Hartland, Vermont, USA.
Laurence was born on 7 November 1949, in Illinois. He was proud of the Dalrymple middle name and the legacy that associated him with Scotland. His parents were Edward
His surviving children are Marie Fleur (born in March, 1990) and Laurent Nathanaël Matson (born in October, 1991), who live in Switzerland, and his former wife, Eva von Arx-Haas, who lives in Zaun, Switzerland, above Meiringen.
He is survived by his sister Sara Matson Drake and brothers Edward Robert Matson and David Owen Matson. His predeceased sister was Karin Renfer Skadden.
He had an adopted German family with whom he spent a number of years, including during his education, teaching years and after his return to the United States. These included Eberhard Detwiler Zahn†, Ruth Poensgen Zahn†, Ellen Zahn Dornhaus, Eberhard Detloff Zahn†, Stephanie Clara Zahn Tittel and Joachim Ulrich Zahn
He attended high school at the Ecole d'Humanité in Goldern, Switzerland. During those high school years, he became an outstanding skier and mountaineer.
He returned to the United States to attend college. As a Quaker, Laurence graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, in 1972, majoring in English, Theater, and German Literature. He also spent a year studying at the University of Cardiff, Wales. He then administered bookstores for the University of Indiana, Oberlin College and the University of Rochester in New York.
In 1971, he married Vicki Ellen Penziner, who died shortly after they married from a rare autoimmune disease. For Laurence, this was a decisive event. In 1981, he returned to Switzerland to the Ecole d'Humanité as a teacher. There, he met Eva Maria Haas; they married in 1982 and had two children.
In 1991, the family moved into a farmhouse in Zaun, above Meiringen. At the farmhouse, Laurence mastered his woodworking skills, by renovating it into a home for the family and the parents of Eva. He utilized traditional construction techniques for the renovation and the farmhouse is now on the list of protected structures in Switzerland. Eva and Laurence divorced in 1997.
In addition to teaching at the Ecole d'Humanité, Laurence was a consultant to the tourism bureau of Meiringen and Sigma Corporation®. He was a professional translator of written and verbal German and dialects in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. He lived in Switzerland for almost 30 years and considered it his second home. He added consultation to the Zermatt Tourism bureau to his portfolio. He wore his Edelweiss shirt and Appenzeller cow belt with pride.
Laurence was an accomplished artist. He was the first digitographer recognized as such by Epson®. He also was instrumental in the development of the Foveon digital sensor. He coordinated multiple international conventions for Sigma and taught photographers for Sigma.
Laurence was a brilliant photographer, with great attention to detail. He observed as scene like no one else. He was an artist of life and earth; he created art that touched the souls of others. His artwork can be seen at www.pbase.com/lmatson.
In 2008, he returned to the United States, settling at Hartland, Vermont, where he could apply his skills of photography, translation and consultation. In 2019, He was known for his skill with languages, photography, cabinetry, knowledge of pedagogy, sense of humor, creative stories for children and generosity. He was a reliable neighbor and helped where he could without expecting anything in return. He taught people how important it is to the strength of “community” to give freely of what one has. He also attended the Unitarian Church with his neighbors.
Laurence was forthcoming about his political opinions. In recent years, his barn sported a sign that said, “Let’s make Orwell fiction again”. In his younger years, he competed as a rally driver, adopting a driving style he maintained all his life and referred to as his “Bleifuss/lead foot”.
Laurence had a big heart for animals. He was a passionate dog breeder for many years and attended shows. He also had quite a few cats, adopting many of them and nursing some back to good health. For several years, he managed Appledore Farm with several boarding horses, which he cared for with great dedication.
In 2019, Laurence met Carin Pacifico, who became his soulmate and partner until his death. They made their life at Appledore, working on house projects and traveling to California and Oregon to visit Carin’s grandsons.
He lived his family motto, being one “who against hope believed in hope”. His name, when translated into the original languages, means “bright and shining one, on a meandering and shimmering river, son of God’s gift”. This is how his friends and family will remember him.
He will be missed by these family and friends who loved him dearly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider gifts to the “Vicki Penziner-Matson Fund” [https://earlham.edu/giving/] at Earlham College, 801 West National Road, Richmond, Indiana 47374, USA, and/or to the “Estate of Laurence Matson” [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/laurencematsonestate] or through the Resident Agent of the Estate, 18 Bank Street, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, USA.
John Matson† and Virginia Freeburg Matson†.
Laurence Dalrymple Matson, 73
Friend for life, brilliant artist and entertaining storyteller
During the night of 15 March 2023, Laurence Dalrymple Matson died in his sleep at his home in Hartland, Vermont, USA.
Laurence was born on 7 November 1949, in Illinois. He was proud of the Dalrymple middle name and the legacy that associated him with Scotland. His parents were Edward
His surviving children are Marie Fleur (born in March, 1990) and Laurent Nathanaël Matson (born in October, 1991), who live in Switzerland, and his former wife, Eva von Arx-Haas, who lives in Zaun, Switzerland, above Meiringen.
He is survived by his sister Sara Matson Drake and brothers Edward Robert Matson and David Owen Matson. His predeceased sister was Karin Renfer Skadden.
He had an adopted German family with whom he spent a number of years, including during his education, teaching years and after his return to the United States. These included Eberhard Detwiler Zahn†, Ruth Poensgen Zahn†, Ellen Zahn Dornhaus, Eberhard Detloff Zahn†, Stephanie Clara Zahn Tittel and Joachim Ulrich Zahn
He attended high school at the Ecole d'Humanité in Goldern, Switzerland. During those high school years, he became an outstanding skier and mountaineer.
He returned to the United States to attend college. As a Quaker, Laurence graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, in 1972, majoring in English, Theater, and German Literature. He also spent a year studying at the University of Cardiff, Wales. He then administered bookstores for the University of Indiana, Oberlin College and the University of Rochester in New York.
In 1971, he married Vicki Ellen Penziner, who died shortly after they married from a rare autoimmune disease. For Laurence, this was a decisive event. In 1981, he returned to Switzerland to the Ecole d'Humanité as a teacher. There, he met Eva Maria Haas; they married in 1982 and had two children.
In 1991, the family moved into a farmhouse in Zaun, above Meiringen. At the farmhouse, Laurence mastered his woodworking skills, by renovating it into a home for the family and the parents of Eva. He utilized traditional construction techniques for the renovation and the farmhouse is now on the list of protected structures in Switzerland. Eva and Laurence divorced in 1997.
In addition to teaching at the Ecole d'Humanité, Laurence was a consultant to the tourism bureau of Meiringen and Sigma Corporation®. He was a professional translator of written and verbal German and dialects in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. He lived in Switzerland for almost 30 years and considered it his second home. He added consultation to the Zermatt Tourism bureau to his portfolio. He wore his Edelweiss shirt and Appenzeller cow belt with pride.
Laurence was an accomplished artist. He was the first digitographer recognized as such by Epson®. He also was instrumental in the development of the Foveon digital sensor. He coordinated multiple international conventions for Sigma and taught photographers for Sigma.
Laurence was a brilliant photographer, with great attention to detail. He observed as scene like no one else. He was an artist of life and earth; he created art that touched the souls of others. His artwork can be seen at www.pbase.com/lmatson.
In 2008, he returned to the United States, settling at Hartland, Vermont, where he could apply his skills of photography, translation and consultation. In 2019, He was known for his skill with languages, photography, cabinetry, knowledge of pedagogy, sense of humor, creative stories for children and generosity. He was a reliable neighbor and helped where he could without expecting anything in return. He taught people how important it is to the strength of “community” to give freely of what one has. He also attended the Unitarian Church with his neighbors.
Laurence was forthcoming about his political opinions. In recent years, his barn sported a sign that said, “Let’s make Orwell fiction again”. In his younger years, he competed as a rally driver, adopting a driving style he maintained all his life and referred to as his “Bleifuss/lead foot”.
Laurence had a big heart for animals. He was a passionate dog breeder for many years and attended shows. He also had quite a few cats, adopting many of them and nursing some back to good health. For several years, he managed Appledore Farm with several boarding horses, which he cared for with great dedication.
In 2019, Laurence met Carin Pacifico, who became his soulmate and partner until his death. They made their life at Appledore, working on house projects and traveling to California and Oregon to visit Carin’s grandsons.
He lived his family motto, being one “who against hope believed in hope”. His name, when translated into the original languages, means “bright and shining one, on a meandering and shimmering river, son of God’s gift”. This is how his friends and family will remember him.
He will be missed by these family and friends who loved him dearly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider gifts to the “Vicki Penziner-Matson Fund” [https://earlham.edu/giving/] at Earlham College, 801 West National Road, Richmond, Indiana 47374, USA, and/or to the “Estate of Laurence Matson” [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/laurencematsonestate] or through the Resident Agent of the Estate, 18 Bank Street, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, USA.
John Matson† and Virginia Freeburg Matson†.
