Becky Matthews Obituary, Longtime Resident of Bismarck, ND, Has Sadly Passed Away

Becky Matthews Obituary, Death – After two years with lymphoma, Rebecca Podoll Matthews died at Sanford Hospital in Bismarck, ND, on September 4, 2023. Her funeral is at 1:00 PM Saturday, September 9th at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave, Bismarck. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM on Friday, September 8th at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and continue one hour before the funeral ceremony.

Becky was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Glenn and Kathleen (Kotila) Podoll on January 28, 1974. Her family moved to Hazen in 1983, where she grew up and graduated high school in 1992. At the University of North Dakota, she earned a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 1996. Becky married her soulmate, Chris Matthews, in 1997. Five children—Michael, Mary, Daniel, Leah, and Abdoul—were born into their wonderful family. She loved being a mother and participating in her children’s lives, whether it was attending their events or helping them. She valued each person as an individual.

Becky was dedicated to helping people and improving her town. Being elected to the Burleigh County Commission in 2020 was a major achievement. She worked to help grieving parents, clubfoot families, and New Americans assimilate. Her compassion extended to the youngest and most vulnerable, as she comforted babies and established a safe haven for children. Beyond her philanthropy, Becky valued life’s basic pleasures. She enjoyed reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. Her warm personality and contagious passion made her a beloved friend.

Her father’s constant support let Becky realize her childhood ambition of owning horses. This passion gave her great joy and calm in the company of these wonderful creatures. Becky’s husband, Chris Matthews, and children, Michael, Mary, Daniel, Leah, and Abdoul Sow, survive her. Her parents, Glenn and Kathleen Podoll, her in-laws, Pam and Ken Campbell, her brother, Steven, and her sister-in-law, Tricia Matthews, survive her.