James William Mattes

Our beloved husband and father, James William Mattes, unexpectedly left his earthly life on July 17, 2020 at his ranch in O’Neals, California. Jim was born on January 27, 1958, in Manteca, California, and he was the husband of Kristann Silkwood Mattes, the father of Robert and Shyann, the son-in-law of Luanne Silkwood, and the youngest child of Ronald and Helen Mattes, both of whom preceded him to heaven.

Jim grew up on a farm and was a rancher all of his life. He married Kristi in 1989, and they shared many wonderful life adventures together. He was a devoted family man, and his deepest love and greatest sense of pride and joy were as husband to Kristi and father to Bobby and Shy. Jim attended East Union High School in Manteca, Delta College in Stockton, and graduated from California State University Fresno with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He possessed encyclopedic knowledge of all livestock, raising cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken and rabbits with his family. Jim was a lifelong member of the Future Farmers of America, and he and Kristi were instrumental in establishing the Minarets FFA chapter in O’Neals and leading it to unrivaled success. Jim helped raise prize-winning animals for FFA students and took great pleasure in their success over the years.

Jim was a man’s man in the best sense of the word, and he would give a friend the shirt off his back if he was in need. He was incurably positive and happy with an easy smile and a quick wit. He was truly at home on his ranches, and he both loved working his livestock and sharing his joy with family and friends alike. Jim was generous, loyal, helpful, hard-working, astute, tough when needed, but most of all he was kind and big-hearted. He will be dearly missed by his family and many friends, but he will be forever in our hearts.

Jim is survived by his wife, Kristi, his children, Bobby and Shy, his mother-in-law, Luanne Silkwood, and his siblings, Kathy Franco, Roger Mattes, and Doug Mattes.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on October 3, 2020 at 2:00 p.m., at the Big Blue Barn located at 47697 Road 200, O’Neals, CA 93645; call Rae Pulido at (559) 868-6398 for the time of the service.

To view the live stream of Jim's service, please click the following link:

https://youtu.be/lQTGvkB3w9s

If you would like to make a remembrance contribution in Jim’s memory, please send donations to your favorite local FFA Chapter, 4-H Club, or to the O’Neals-Minarets FFA Chapter, P.O. Box 186, O’Neals, CA 93645 or Spring Valley Ag Boosters, P.O. Box 43, O’Neals, CA 93645.