Memorials › James Charles “JC” Matej

James Charles “JC” Matej

8 Jul 1928 – 5 Mar 2015

Birth	8 Jul 1928
Death	5 Mar 2015
Cemetery	Guardian Angel Cemetery Wallis , Austin County , Texas , USA
Added by	Carolyn Brinkmeyer on 30 Jul 2021
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/230069955

Bio

Fort Bend Herald, March 13, 2015: James Charles Matej was born on July 8, 1928 to James and Annie Matej of Wallis, Texas. James, known by some as "JC," graduated from Orchard High School before attending the University of Houston and the Ralston Purina Retail Management School that prepared him for his life-long work in the farming industry and as a distributor of livestock feed and agricultural products. On June 7, 1949, James married the love of his life, Eleanor, and they made a home in Rosenberg, Texas where they raised four sons, James, Allen, Gary, and Thomas. During this time, James also demonstrated his devotion to his community as a member of the Texas Farm Bureau, 4H Club, Knights of Columbus, and KJT. He was also a fervent supporter of the Needville FFA & Youth Fair, Boy Scouts, March of Dimes, and the American Heart Association. In addition to his community ties, James farmed cotton, was an accountant and bank teller, and owned and operated a succession of businesses: Needville Mill and Feed, Needville Feed Company, and Rosenberg Feed Company, Inc., and a commercial feed lot fattening up calves and hogs for market. During his career, he earned the Ralston Purina Sales Excellence Award and the Central Soya Sales Recognition Award. James Charles Matej was preceded in death by his father, James; mother, Annie; sister, Henrietta of East Bernard, Texas; and brothers, Syl and Jerome, both of Wallis, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Matej; sons, James, Allen, Gary, and Thomas; grandsons, Jason, Matt, Chris, Ryan, Wes, Alex; granddaughter, Jenny; great-grandsons, Mason, Maddox, and John; great-granddaughters, Hannah, Alexis, Madison, Carlie, Ellie Mae, Haley, Payton, Skylar, Tessa. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 415 George St., Rosenberg. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and mass will follow at 10:30 a.m. An interment will follow afterward at Guardian Angel Cemetery in Wallis, followed by refreshments and fellowship at the Guardian Angel Parish Hall in Wallis. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fort Bend Herald, November 27, 2015: By Marquita Griffin She tenderly touches the yellowed envelopes and as her fingertips grace the cursive writing made by her late husband, a smile steals across Eleanor Matej's face. She points to the stamp in the top right-hand corner of the envelope and laughs. "This is called canceling the stamp," she said, indicating the pencil scratching across the stamp. "That's how they did it in the 40s." Nowadays a machine is used to apply a postal marking on a postage stamp to prevent its re-use, but all that was needed when Eleanor was younger was a pencil. Inside the envelope — actually envelopes, as there were several dozen stacked neatly on her kitchen table — were old love letters from her husband who recently passed away. As Thanksgiving nears, Eleanor, 87, realizes this will be the first one in more than six decades without her J.C., a man who had been a in her life since she was 16 years old. She admits that the thought of her first holiday without him makes her sorrowful — there are still moments when she's shopping at grocery store or sitting in church when an overwhelming sense of loss wraps around her — but then she remembers the 66 married years she spent with a man she affectionately described as "compassionate, kind and unique." Back in her day women were expected to marry and have families but falling in love wasn't given much concern. "There was a saying," she explained. "You didn't want to be 'left on the shelf,' or an old maid." So after high school many women married as quickly as possible, but at that time many of the eligible men were being drafted to fight in World War II. But as fate would have it, J.C. was too young to be pulled away from their hometown of Orchard, Texas so he was left to pursue Eleanor with every ounce of dedication he had to offer. " I wasn't really ready to go steady," she said with a slight laugh. "But he was very persuasive, gentle, understanding and kind. We ended up dating when I was a junior and he was a senior." Their first date was at a pharmacy store were he bought her a root beer float, or a Black Cow as it was called then, and with each subsequent encounter — going to the movies, taking day trips to San Antonio and going on double dates with friends — J.C. ultimately won Eleanor over. "I realized he was something I needed," she said. "My mother was raising six kids by herself because my father had passed away. She had no help, no [outside] money coming in and she was working hard to keep us together and out of the orphanages. "We knew she loved us, but she didn't have the time for physical affection," Eleanor said. "So it was nice to get individual attention from J.C. Just him holding my hand meant so much to me." Eleanor returns her attention to the stacks of letters on her table. Some days it's too hard for her to read the letters written by the 20-something year old J.C. but with Thanksgiving nearing, they bring her comfort. The letters started coming after Eleanor graduated from Orchard High School and moved to Houston to take a business course. She was living in a large Victorian-style boarding house with other girls and at least once a week she would get a letter from J.C. who was commuting from Orchard to Houston while taking classes at the University of Houston. "He was very clear that we were going to marry and he was going support us and our family by working for himself. He was determined to be his own boss." As it turns out, J.C. attended the University of Houston, married Eleanor in 1949, moved to Rosenberg, had four sons, and after raising livestock and becoming an accountant and bank teller, eventfully operated Needville Mill and Feed, Needville Feed Company and Rosenberg Feed Company Inc. Earlier this year J.C. died after a difficult battle with dementia, and although those last years were trying on both Eleanor and their family, Eleanor said it reminds her of how blessed she was to share her life with a man who she "just liked being with." "We were [the type of couple] that if we were together at some social setting and we didn't know anyone, we would just talk to each other and have a great time." Again, the letters catch her attention and she opens one and reads a few lines of the blue-inked cursive handwriting. The particular letter she reads is a response from J.C. to a letter she wrote him expressing her discontent with living in the Houston boarding house. " ... try to face the bright side of the situation," J.C. wrote. "I'll be there on the 11th. I can't wait anymore. ... I feel as though you belong to me. Imagine we'll be together. We won't be far apart. We'll be able to talk to each other every day through the telephone and see each other every weekend ... Honey there shouldn't be anything to worry about as long as we're together. That's the thing that should make you happy. I know it makes me happy. There isn't anyone as dear to me as you are." Eleanor said she had forgotten about the letters that were stored in a box in her attic. She happened on them after she discovered a water dripping onto J.C.'s bed where he spent his time resting when he was battling dementia. "I went into the attic to see what the problem was and found the letters," she said. "They brought me back to the times when were young and I fell in love with him all over again. "Sometimes I think about what young people today will have to hold onto," Eleanor said. "Surely they won't be able to go back to their text messages [or social media] to remember what they were like when they were young, and that [thought] is sad." Outside of her kitchen is a covered patio where a long table that holds all holiday meals are held sits, and at the head of that table is a chair that will remain empty this year. It'll be a tough day, no question about it, but Eleanor takes comfort that surrounding that table will be the generations of family who owe their existence to man who decided Eleanor Matej was the woman God had created especially for him. "I am thankful for my family and friends, especially now," she said. "But I am most thankful for a life where I was able to love and be loved, because that was our relationship. And it was a blessing."

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