Jo Ann "Jodi" Coney

Jodi Mattson Coney passed away Sunday, September 19, 2021 in Spokane, Washington. 

Jodi was born November 16, 1932 in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Jacob and Arleen Mattson. During the years of the great depression, the family moved to eastern Washington – to Spirit Lake, and then to Opportunity, where Jake and Arleen initially made a living “doing apples” in Spokane Valley. Jake ended up working for many years for Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane, and Arleen worked for the Spokesman Review.

The Mattson parents and their daughters Jodi and her younger sister Jean lived in Spokane in the family home on Pittsburgh and 11th for many years. Jodi excelled in school (she was placed two years ahead of her age when she started). In 1941 (at the beginning of WW2), the girls spent a year with their grandparents in Whitehall, Wisconsin.

Jodi attended St. Olaf College, where she was a member of the academic honor society Phi Betta Kappa. Jodi also spent a year at the University of Minnesota.  Jodi graduated from St. Olaf College where she met and married the Reverend Lionel Bruce (Si) Simonson.  After Jodi graduated, Si received a Fulbright scholarship, and Jodi and Si moved to Oslo, Norway for a year, with extensive travel throughout the continent during their time there.

Si and Jodi returned to the states, where Si was called to work in Minnesota and Montana as a Lutheran Pastor. They had three sons, John Erik, Roald Luther, and Bruce Peter.  The family lived in Lewistown, Montana until 1967, when they moved to southern Germany.  The boys attended German schools, and the family toured (and camped and youth hosteled) in every country they could, traveling in a small VW Squareback station wagon. These were formative years for the boys, and the family enjoyed travel and all things cultural. The family returned to the states, and lived in Montana and southern Oregon.  Jodi began her lifelong career as a legal secretary in Klamath Falls, Oregon.  Jodi and Si separated and divorced in 1981.

Jodi met John Coney, a public television program producer (think Nova and Rick Steves), while they were both heavily involved with Youth For Understanding, an exchange program for high school students.  Jodi and John were married at Central Lutheran Church in 1988, and lived on Queen Anne in Seattle, where Jodi and John enjoyed the symphony, the opera, the ballet, the Mariners, and travel wherever and whenever possible.  Jodi and John enjoyed many years of travel with relatives Bob and Mary Lou Redmond, and Jodi’s sons. Jodi moved back to Spokane in 2016, after John Coney passed.

Jodi enjoyed her Norwegian heritage, and she loved the Lutheran church.  Always cheerful, optimistic and kind, she was a terrific mom who loved music, travel, the arts and cats.  Jodi is survived by her three sons John, Roald, and Bruce, her sister Jean, her sister’s children, and Jodi’s grandchildren Alexandra, Stefan, and Timna.

The Funeral Service will take place at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Central Lutheran Church, South Bernard St., Spokane, WA, followed by the Committal service and burial at Spokane Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 5909 Cheney Spokane Rd., Spokane, WA. 

The family requests Memorial donations be made to the Central Lutheran Church in Spokane.  To share memories of Jodi and offer condolences to the family, visit her Tribute Wall.