Harley E. Matney

Harley E. Matney, 84 Dakota Dunes. S.D. formerly of South Sioux City and Dakota City, Nebraska passed away unexpectedly Friday August 31, 2012 at a Sioux City Hospital. Services will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, at St. Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City with Rev. Carole Jean Stapleton officiating. Visitation will be at the church on Monday from 5 to 8 P.M. with a prayer service at 7 P.M. Harley was born February 14, 1928 in rural Jackson, NE, to Harley and Rosa (Gunsolley) Matney. After graduating from South Sioux City High School, Harley served in the United States Maritime Merchant Marines. Harley married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Vergean Nielsen, July 26, 1946 at Holines Methodist Church in South Sioux City. In July, they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary at a week-long vacation in Minnesota surrounded by 46 members of their family. Harley and Vergean have four daughters: Pam, Jaimee, Chris and Shelly. Harley was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City, NE, where he ushered and was a member of the Methodist’s men’s group. He was the Building Chairman during the construction of the Fellowship Hall and the current church building. Harley was in the meat packing industry most of his life. He was in management at Needham Packing in Sioux City and Fargo, N.D. Harley was vice president of Illini Beef Packing in Genesco, Illinois. He also managed the construction of that plant, which later became the Joslin IBP facility. After moving back to the Sioux City area, he opened his own business, Meat Packers Supply International, furnishing supplies to meat packing plants across the United States. For the last twenty-seven years, he and Vergean have owned and managed Park View Industries and Mobile Home Court in South Sioux City. Harley cherished time spent with his wife and family. He loved singing, playing guitar, mandolin and harmonica. Playing music with his family was one of his greatest joys! One of Harley’s fondest memories was being chosen with his girls in 1996 to sing for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. They were representing Iowa’s Sesquicentennial. Harley is survived by his wife, Vergean, and his four daughters, Pam Ostapoff and her husband Wally, Jaimee Nutt and her husband Denny, Chris Ramsey and her husband Phil and Shelly Bell and her husband Tom, eleven grandchildren, thirty-two great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Harley was preceded in death by his parents, Harley and Rosa Matney, his two brothers, Orville Matney and Edward Matney, his four sisters, Helen Leach, Georgetta Border, Bonnie Hankins, Peggy Pedersen and son-in-law Rev. Doug Haugen.