Charlene Marie Matejka Lusk

Charlene was born September 20, 1941 to Willie and Winnie Matejka in Smetana, Texas. She spent her early years in rural Burleson and Brazos Counties. Nurturing and caring for others began early in her life when she cared for her younger siblings. While still in high school working in a local doughnut shop, she met a Campus Security Officer, Curtis Lusk, who became her husband. They married and welcomed three children into their lives. Over the next few years, Charlene and Curtis moved to their dream home in Oak Hills Addition to raise their children on a small homestead. There, she and Curtis passed on their knowledge of farm life and their ethic of hard work.

Charlene had multiple jobs including working as a secretary for Texas A&M University, food service in the local school cafeteria, and bookkeeper for the Brushy Water System. She finally settled on a career as a rural mail carrier for the College Station area. All of this while raising three children, milking cows, planting a huge garden and processing the food for her family and attending college courses in hopes of earning a degree in landscape architecture. At the post office, Charlene was the union steward for years.

She and Curtis both participated in local, regional and national meetings representing College Station, Texas. After 25 years of service, she retired but still continued to participate in the retired federal employees association.

When Charlene committed to a group or activity, she jumped in with both feet. She was proud of her Czech heritage and was an active member of the Brazos Valley Czech Society. She was active in her community encouraging her children to join 4-H and spent many hours as a leader helping others develop life skills while learning to love the land. Charlene had a passion for gardening and spent years transforming the worn out soil of the homestead to a fertile, productive plot to raise vegetables, fruits and flowers for her family and community. She was a member of the A&M Garden Club and she became a Brazos County Texas Master Gardener to share her knowledge of organic gardening with many in the community. She loved bird watching and participated in the local bird counts. She also raised chickens and treated them as part of the family while sharing eggs with family and friends.

Charlene loved to travel. She used her interests in bowling and gambling to travel with family and friends. She was a fierce domino player and almost never passed up an opportunity for a game of 42 or 84.

Charlene was baptized into the Catholic faith and was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Charlene was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis; parents, Willie and Winnie Matejka; brothers Charles and Willie Matejka; parents-in-law William Oscar and lda Lusk; brothers-in-law Larry Beasley and William A. Lusk; sister-in-law Alice Linklater and great-grandson Adin Thatcher.

Charlene valued her family above all else and is survived by her children Cynthia (Brian) Thatcher, David Lusk (Neil Meyer), Diana (Valgene) Kohring; her grandchildren Lori (Patrick) Meyer, Justin (Kara) Thatcher, Candace (Michael) Kennedy, Megan Thatcher, Ethan Thatcher, Landon (Hannah) Kohring, Forrest Kohring and Alaina Kohring; her great grandchildren Tristin, Sarah, Evin, Erin and Eli Thatcher; Davin and Nolan Jean, Hudson, Daniel, and Aiden Kennedy and Brady Kohring; her siblings, Mae (Joe) Fazzino, Gladys Beasley, Frank (Dana) Matejka and sister in law Sue Matejka as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins and her beloved cat, Midnight.

Pallbearers are Justin, Ethan, Tristin and Evin Thatcher, Landon and Forrest Kohring, Honorary Pallbearers are Davin and Nolan Jean; Eli Thatcher and Hudson, Daniel and Aiden Kennedy.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Brazos County Texas Master Gardeners, www.brazosmg.com.

A visitation for Charlene will be held Friday, July 19, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan with a recitation of the holy rosary at 6:30 PM. A funeral service will occur Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow to Memorial Cemetery of College Station and the Aggie Field of Honor, 3800 Raymond Stotzer Parkway, College Station, Texas 77845.