Former Olmsted County Attorney DeWayne Paul 'D.P.' Mattson, 89, died Wednesday April 18, 2012 of complications of Alzheimer's disease.

DeWayne was born June 9, 1922 in Rochester to Paul and Mildred Mattson.  He graduated from Rochester High School in 1941 and attended Rochester Junior College.  During World War II he served for four years in the Army Air Corps in the 30 ^th Bomb Group – Asiatic Pacific Theater.  He received his Law Degree from the University of Minnesota in 1950.  He married Martha Arvidson, Head Nurse on First East at St. Mary's Hospital, on November 20, 1954 in Rochester.

Upon graduating from Law School he returned to Rochester and was appointed Assistant Olmsted County Attorney.  During that time he was also a partner in a private law practice, Swan, Mattson and Pougiales.  DeWayne was elected as the first full time Olmsted County Attorney in 1954, a position he held for 28 years until his retirement in 1981.  During that time he was a member of the National District Attorneys Association, American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association and Olmsted County Bar Association where he served as President.

DeWayne had a passion for horses and harness racing.  For 50 years he was the owner, trainer and driver of harness horses, two of which were Minnesota Horse of the Year in 1971 and 1982.  He and his father, Paul, trained and raced with Murray Anderson who trained the great Dan Patch.  He was a member of Minnesota Harness Racing, Inc., serving on the Board of Directors and had been a licensed driver of the United States Trotting Association and Kentucky Racing Commission.  He was happiest when spending time training his horses on the third-mile track he built on his farm in southwest Rochester.

He is survived by a daughter, Polly (Mickel) Owens of Rochester; two sons, Dr. Mark P. (Joanne) Mattson of BelAir, Maryland and Dr. Eric A. Mattson of Louisville, Tennessee; four grandchildren – McKenna Owens, Kelsey Owens, Elliot Mattson and Emma Mattson; and a sister, Pauline Duvall of Moses Lake, Washington.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and brother LaVerne 'Bud' Mattson.

A Memorial Gathering will be held Monday April 23, 2012 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at River Park Chapel, Macken Funeral Home in Rochester.  Private burial will occur at a later date.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Sunrise Cottages of Rochester.  Memorials are suggested to the Soldier's Field Veterans Memorial or the Alzheimer's Association.