Lawrence Matetzschk

Lawrence D. Matetzschk
9/20/36 – 1/11/15

Lawrence was the second of six children born to Ernest & Ella Matetzschk at home on a farm in the New Sweden Community. As a child he spent many long but happy hours working on their farm with his father and brothers, Glen and Arthur. In his later life Lawrence wrote many stories about these early years and their family customs because he felt it was very important for his grandchildren, Elizabeth and Jason to know what that life was like. His family treasures these writings.

Lawrence was baptized and confirmed in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Richland, Texas, a church that his grandfather helped to establish. Located just across the pasture from his grandparent’s farm, the church was the focal point of their family life, just as faith and active church membership remained for his entire life. Holding many church offices and serving as a Sunday School teacher, Lawrence practiced his faith and lived it as example. A soft spoken and shy man, he did not openly discuss faith often, but all who knew him had no doubt of his beliefs based upon his business practices and the example of equity and loving kindness that he showed daily.

He attended and graduated from Manor High School in 1954. A hard worker all of his life, Lawrence held many spare jobs as a young man. His favorite was for a car dealership and as a mechanic where he could drive many fast cars. Known for his lead foot, Lawrence loved to drive pretty cars. His first real job was for Western Electric in the mid and late 1950’s where he worked establishing some of the first communication lines installed across west Texas. In 1957 he met his future wife, Marjorie Mae Green of Elgin, and the two dated and married in Elgin in January of 1958. They moved to Austin after the birth of their first daughter, Jan. With a new baby and a family to see after, Lawrence left Western Electric and began working for Rainbow Baking Company where was he in sales for over 20 years, moving his growing family to San Antonio where he lived, worked, and served as Chair of the Building Committee and Deacon of Crestview Baptist Church.

In 1977 Lawrence changed careers and moved his family back to the Elgin area while he went to Houston to attend Common Wealth College and became a licensed Funeral Director. Upon graduation, Lawrence returned to Elgin where he served the families of Elgin in the Funeral business until his retirement in 2009. He was a partner and Director in Charge of Elgin Funeral Home. Lawrence’s greatest calling was service to families in their greatest time of need. He was a fierce defender of those in need and considered it his calling to serve them in any way he could.
Many people in the Elgin community have their own personal stories of how Lawrence quietly but faithful served them.

The father of three girls, Lawrence was a supportive father who quietly went about helping his girls in any way possible. He was the example of hard work, faith, and endurance that has established a close and faith-filled family. No one questions that the hardest moment of his life was the death of his oldest daughter, Jan who preceded him in death in 2008. But no one could ever question that one of the happiest moments was the birth of his first and only granddaughter, Elizabeth. She became the place that his sun rose and set until his very last breaths. He was also very happy when Jason, his only grandson, joined his family.

At the time of his passing he was an active and faithful member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Elgin, a place where his church family will dearly miss him. An ex-member of the Church Council and permanent fixture on the back pew, Lawrence believed in the power of prayer.

The Family wishes to express their deepest appreciation for the care and guidance of Dr. Scott Blois and his staff at Austin Heart and the nurses of St. David’s Medical Center and The Heart Hospital of Austin for all of their years of loving care provided for our Daddy.

Lawrence is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marjorie. He is also survived by his two younger daughters, Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, PhD and Husband Frank Robert Campbell, and Joan Miller and granddaughter Elizabeth Daisy Miller and grandson Jason Mogonye all of the Elgin area. He is also survived by his aunt, Esther Schmidt, his brother, Arthur Matetzschk, Sister Elaine Farris, and husband Clyde Farris, and Sister Fay Jordan, Sister-In-Law Shirlene Matetzschk, and many cousins, nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved dearly and enjoyed seeing regularly.

All are invited to a visitation with the family at Providence- Jones Family Funeral Home 6-8 pm on Wednesday, January 14 2015. An ecumenical celebration of Lawrence’s life will be held at that location at 10am on Thursday, January 15, 2015.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church’s Memorial Fund or a charity of your choice.