Joseph Raymond Matzke

Joseph Raymond Matzke, 91, of Lake Jackson, passed away peacefully on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024. Joe Ray was born on February 8, 1933, in the Crescent Community, near Glen Flora, Wharton County, Texas, to the late Linnie Frances (Maerz) and Raymond Albert Matzke.

Joe Ray attended Crescent School from grammar school through high school, graduating in 1951. He was an active member of the FFA, Boy Scouts, and played basketball, baseball, and football. As a member of the FFA, he showed his calves at the county fair each year. He attended Texas A&M College for two years and was in the Corps of Cadets. He then transferred to Texas College of A&I in Kingsville, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1956 and was a member of Alpha Tau Alpha.

Joe Ray met the love of his life, Jeanette Richter, on November 27, 1952, at the wedding of their friends, George and Rita (Nohavitza) Kresta. They were married on July 26, 1956, at St. Philip's Catholic Church in El Campo, Texas, and shared 62 wonderful years together. Joe Ray was known for his quiet strength, patience, wit, loyalty, and easy-going nature. His devotion and outpouring of love for Jeanette during her lengthy illness, visiting and caring for her every day for almost seven years, was a true blessing and testament to his character.

Joe Ray began his career at Dow Chemical in February 1956 as a research chemical lab technician. He then took a leave of absence to serve in the Army Reserves for six months in late 1956, where he trained at the Army Dugway Proving Ground in Utah and conducted research for the University of Utah. He retired from Dow in February 1995, after 39 years of service in the Dow Chemical EDA research lab.

A founding member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Joe Ray was also a member of the Knights of Columbus for 74 years. He generously volunteered his time at St. Michael's, serving on the building committee, planting memorial trees, cooking for church picnics, counting collections, chaperoning CYO trips, and acting as an all-around handyman, often assisting Jeanette during her 42 years of service there. He also enjoyed building cabinetry for Habitat for Humanity homes in Brazoria County.

Joe Ray was a proud fourth-generation born Texan. His 2nd great-grandfather, Lorenz Reitz, from Hausen (Frankfurt), Germany, immigrated to Texas in 1845 with The Adelsverein, German Emigration Company and was one of the 202 families that settled New Braunfels, Texas. Other early Texan/German pioneer families in his lineage include Jacob and Rosina (Wendel) Maerz; William and Barbara (Braden) Engbrock; and Henry and Francis (Braden) Reitz.

Joe Ray's hobbies included woodworking, traveling, and following the local sporting events of his children and grandchildren. He was a true master at fixing anything. Jeanette and Joe Ray enjoyed family vacations to New Braunfels with other families when their children were young. Later, they traveled the world with family and friends, exploring destinations like Antarctica, the Panama Canal, Europe, Greece, Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Mexico, and Russia.

Joe Ray is survived by his three sons: Chris and his wife, Cheryl (Harp) Matzke of Plano; Keith and his wife, Paula (Israel) Matzke of Lake Jackson; and Craig and his wife, Lisa (Mensik) Matzke of Lake Jackson. He is also survived by his daughter, Kim (Matzke) Tirlia and her husband, Tim Tirlia of The Woodlands. He leaves behind nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Andrew Matzke; Michael and his wife, Casey Matzke; Nicole Matzke; Chase and his wife, Dylan, and their daughter, Madeline Matzke; Chelsea (Matzke) and her husband, Scott, and their sons, Ben, Hank, and Will Holt; Camille Matzke and her fiancé, Memo Salinas; Emily Matzke; Blake Matzke; and Bret Tirlia. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette (Richter) Matzke; his parents, Linnie and Raymond Matzke; and his three sisters: Mary Hacke, Catherine Drapela, and Margaret Brown.

Services will be held at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Lake Jackson, Texas, on Friday, January 3, 2025. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, followed by the Rosary at 10:30 AM and Mass at 11:00 AM.

Committal will follow immediately after Mass at the Restwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Clute, Texas.

Pallbearers will be Andrew Matzke, Chase Matzke, Michael Matzke, Bret Tirlia, Blake Matzke, Scott Holt, and Memo Salinas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a charitable donation be made in Joe Ray's honor to the Memorial Funds of either St. Michael's Catholic Church in Lake Jackson, Texas, or St. Jerome's Catholic Church in Clute, Texas, Wildlife Habitat Federation (WHF), Habitat for Humanity, or to your favorite charity.