Emil Joseph Matura

Emil passed away peacefully on February 12, 2024, after a long illness surrounded by his family. Emil was born in Weimar, Texas on March 19, 1940 to Emil F. and Annie Matura. Emil graduated from Weimar High School in 1958 and went on to attend and graduate from Commonwealth College with a mortuary science degree in 1959. He moved to Bryan and began his career as a mortician and funeral director at Hillier Funeral Home. He met the love of his life, Dorothy Jean Zweifel of Bryan through mutual friends in 1960. Emil and Dorothy married on January 8, 1961. They welcomed their first of three daughters, Avis Ann in January of 1962. Followed by twin girls in May of 1967, Dee Ann and Lea Ann. Emil added a career in sales with ButterKrust Bread in 1965. In 1970, Emil went to work in sales with Frito Lay. Emil continued doing the work he loved as a mortician and funeral director as a contractor with Callaway-Jones Funeral Center.

In 1974, Emil and Dorothy built a home in Wheelock and raised their girls on the land where Dorothy grew up. Emil provided a good life for all of his girls. All three daughters graduated from Texas A&M University. Emil loved everything, football and baseball. He loved Aggie athletics, and some other schools we don’t put in writing. He loved going to ball games, watching them on TV and in the old days he would sit and listen to the games on the radio. He loved the New York Yankees, and the Astros. His daughter Lea Ann took him to some exciting Astros games when she lived in Houston.

Emil was always prepared with a story or a joke or some sage advice. He could make you laugh with his humor. He loved to talk about his family, wife Dorothy (he calls her Honey) and his daughters and he said he hit the jackpot with his sons-in-law. His grandchildren were a very proud part of his life. He has two grandsons and two granddaughters and bragged on them often.

Emil is survived by his wife of 63 years Dorothy, his daughters, Avis Ann and Todd Nichols of Bryan, Dee Ann and Kyle Jones of Bryan, and Lea Ann Matura, PhD of Philadelphia, PA. He is also survived by his grandchildren Hayley Nichols, Stephen Dickson, Joseph Nichols, Dalton Jones and Darby and her husband Nicholas Ogg. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Johnnie Gordy of Austin, Texas, and nieces Judy and Skip Pustejovsky of Altair, Texas, Audrey Smyth of Schulenburg, Texas, Connie and Rudy Herrera of Austin, Texas, his nephews Johnny and Beverly Kotrla of Katy, Texas, and Larry and Mary Kotrla and David and Kristi Gordy of Austin, Texas.

Emil is preceded in death by his parents Emil and Annie Matura, his sisters and brothers in law, Dorothy and Randy Kotrla, Annie and Alton Meyer, his nephews Michael Kotrla and David Kotrla and niece Brenda Forister. His in-laws J.D. and Avis Zweifel and brother-in-law Bud Gordy also precede him in death.

The family would like to express their heart-felt thanks to those that cared for and ministered to Emil during his illness: Dr. Dhaduk and his staff, the staff at CHI St. Joseph Hospital. Especially Monsignor John McCaffrey for his visits ministry.

A visitation will be held on Monday February 19, 2024 beginning at 5:00 PM with a Rosary beginning at 6:00 PM at Calllaway-Jones Funeral Center, Bryan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday February 20, 2024 at 1:00 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church and burial to follow at Wheelock Cemetery in Wheelock, Texas. Pallbearers will be his sons-in-law Todd Nichols, and Kyle Jones, and his grandsons Joseph Nichols, Dalton Jones, Stephen Dickson and Nicholas Ogg.

Express condolences at CallawayJones.com