John Dewitt Matzinger, Jr
d. December 17, 2007
Date Died: December 17, 2007
BURNET: John Dewitt Matzinger, Jr., 93, a retired Elementary and Secondary school principal died Monday, Dec. 17, 2007 in Cedar Park, Texas.
Funeral: 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Funeral Home. Burial: East Bridgeport Cemetery. Minister: Dr. David Burrows. Family will serve as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Burnet Building Fund, 108 S. Vanderveer St., Burnet, TX 78611 or Bethany United Methodist Church, 10010 Anderson Mill Rd., Austin, TX 78750.
John was born Feb. 28, 1914 to John Dewitt and Mary Golda Hawk Matzinger in Paradise, TX. He was raised in Bridgeport and graduated Bridgeport High School in 1932. He attended Decatur Baptist College from 1932 to 1934 and received a BS Degree in Government from North Texas State Teachers College in 1936. He completed a MS Degree in Elementary School Administration from North Texas State College in 1949, leading to a distinguished career as an Elementary and Secondary School Principal. His education career started in Batson as a teacher and principal from 1936-1942. John served in the U. S. Navy Seabees in World War II, during 1943-1945, stationed primarily in the Philippines. He was Principal of East Ward School, grades 1-8, in Graham, from 1947-1969. He was Principal of Ingleside Elementary School in Ingleside, TX, where he retired in 1977.
John became a Christian in his youth and was a member of Baptist Churches wherever he lived. Currently, he is a member of the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport. He attended church regularly with his family until Alzheimer's no longer allowed him to participate.
John was proud to be a lifetime Texan. He was an avid Rotarian, with a long history of perfect attendance. He was President of the Graham Rotary Club in addition to the Ingleside Rotary Club from 1971-72. After his retirement in 1977, he served on the Board of the Educational Service Center, Region II, serving one term as President. He also served on a local HUD board in Ingleside. After retirement he became an avid golfer playing regularly with friends three days a week on an Executive Course in Corpus Christi. Because of his long life, John outlived all his golf buddies.
John married his long-time sweetheart, Virginia Dare Johnson on Dec. 27, 1936. She joined him in education as an elementary teacher for many years. After 41 years of marriage, he lost his wife, Virginia to cancer in 1978. Ten years later, John married Virginia's sister Roberta Johnson Pate on August 22, 1988. John and Roberta were never apart in their 19 years of marriage, enjoying their homes in Ingleside and Burnet.
John was preceded in death by his first wife, Virginia Johnson Matzinger, his parents, John Dewitt Matzinger and Mary Golda Hawk Matzinger, his stepmother, Edna Muriel Hawk Matzinger, three sisters, Zelda Inez Liles, Tim Matzinger and Maude Muriel McCarty.
Left behind to cherish his memory are his wife, Roberta Matzinger of Burnet; his daughter, Linda Kay Hartig and her husband David of Burnet; son, John Delmo Matzinger and his wife Charlotte of Cedar Park; 2 granddaughters, Amy Matzinger DeGroat and husband Jim of Cedar Park, Joy Matzinger Schranghamer and husband Jeff, of Boston, MA.; great grandson Nash DeGroat of Cedar Park; stepdaughter, Anamary Pate Tinar and husband Morgan, Bridgeport; step granddaughter Catherine Carroll and husband Warren; step grandson Dr. Martin Turman and wife Pamela; 2 great step grandsons Ryan and Ethan Carroll; 2 great step granddaughters Elizabeth and Alexandra Turman, numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.