Funeral - Zion Lutheran Church

Robert George Geyer

Service Information and Livestream

The funeral service for Bob Geyer will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at Zion Lutheran Church. Music and a photo slideshow will begin playing at 10:10am.

In-Person Attendance – We are pleased to welcome family and friends to attend in-person. We are continuing to adapt our special measures based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and knowledge we have gained over the past year. Our goal remains to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Click here to read about Zion’s updated special measures.

In-Person RSVP – To help us prepare adequate seating for the in-person service, we encourage you to fill out an RSVP form using the button below. However, you are not required to RSVP in order to attend.

RSVP for the In-Person Service

View Livestream – A livestream of the service will be available to view on this page, on Zion’s YouTube channel, and on Zion’s Facebook page. Please view the livestream below.

Download the Service Bulletin (pdf)

Smartphone-Friendly Version of Bulletin

Obituary

Robert George Geyer went peacefully to his eternal home on May 1st, 2021. Bob was born on June 3rd, 1948 to William C and Esther Ruth Geyer. He graduated from Austin High school in 1966. In the fall of 1966 he attended Saint John’s College in Winfield, Kansas. He returned to El Paso in 1967 and enrolled at Texas Western College. In March of 1969, he was injured in an automobile accident in southern New Mexico. His injuries left him a quadriplegic. After a recovering period of two months, he was transferred to a rehabilitation center in Houston, Texas. (TIRR)

Bob attended the University of Houston and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 1973 with a major in Psychology. He then attended Graduate School at the University of Houston and graduated in May 1975 with a Master of Social Work Administration.

In March of 1975, Bob was employed at Houston Metropolitan Ministries as the Director of Social Services at a low income housing project for elderly persons. During this time, Bob also served four semesters as field instructor for the Graduate School of Social Work students at the University of Houston. From October 1976 through December 1978 he served as the Vista Director at Houston Metropolitan Ministries supervising 15 Vista volunteers in various community service projects.

From August of 1979 through September of 1998, Bob was employed at Sun Metro – City of El Paso as Transit Special Services Planner and Transit Planning Manager. While at Sun Metro, he was responsible for the development of improved transportation services for elderly and disabled persons served by Sun Metro and coordinated and monitored the ADA Paratransit Plan.

In September 1998, Bob worked for the Advocacy Incorporated- Disability Policy Consortium in Austin, Texas as Director. The Consortium consisted of 19 statewide advocacy organizations working for progressive public policy on behalf of Texans with disabilities.

Bob returned to El Paso in late 1999. He then joined the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality in El Paso and worked on the AmeriCorps VISTA Border Environmental Awareness Project. In October 2000, Bob began working for the County of El Paso as Transportation Manager. He retired from the County in April 2016.

His years of employment afforded him many opportunities to get involved in the communities in which he lived. While living in Houston, he served as President of the Coalition for Barrier Free Living and on the Board of Directors of the Houston Interfaith Hunger Coalition. Upon returning to El Paso, he served as the President of the El Paso chapter of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. In addition, Bob was on the Board of Directors of Lutheran Community Services and the El Paso Rehabilitation Center. He was also a member of Class 12 of Leadership El Paso.

In January 1991, Bob was appointed to the Texas Department of Human Services as a board member by then Governor Ann Richards. From January 1995 to March 1997, he served as Vice Chair of the Board. From June 2016 to June 2019, Bob served on the Open Space Advisory Board of the City of El Paso. Just this spring, he was reappointed to the Board.

He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church all his life and served on the Board of Elders, as well as in other leadership positions for many years. Bob was a deep, creative, and faithful student of the Holy Scriptures from childhood ‘til his Savior’s welcoming words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Despite his limitations he lived a full life and was often focused on improving a situation for others. As a result of his injury, he had deep compassion for the disabled and the elderly. This was evident not only by his career choice, but also in the various activities and causes he choose to support.

Bob was an avid fan of the Miner basketball program and was a season ticket holder for many years. Perhaps his favorite times were attending New Mexico State Basketball Championships in Albuquerque, especially when the Alamogordo Tigers and or Saint Michael’s Horsemen won the championships.

He also had a deep love for animals and during the last two years, he became the adopted father of three cats, one skunk, one squirrel and numerous birds that frequented his backyard.

Bob so much appreciated all the support, love, and help he received from family, especially, from Mom and Dad, his many friends, associates at work and from those in the communities in which he lived. No doubt, Bob’s faith in Jesus Christ enabled him to live a special life of service to others.

Bob is survived by a sister Marilyn Patten and husband Howard, a brother Bill Geyer and wife Mollie, and brother Ron Geyer and wife Cindy and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be June 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 at Funeraria Del Angel Restlawn located at 8817 Dyer. The funeral service will be at 10:30 in the morning of June 5 at Zion Lutheran Church located at 2800 Pershing. A family only interment will follow.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, KTEP Radio, the Animal Humane Society, the Carrie Elisabeth Geyer Endowed Scholarship Fund at NMSU, or a charity of your choice.

Please feel free to leave a message to the family below.

Irene Selma Matzke

Service Information and Livestream

The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at 11:00am MDT. A time of visitation before the service will begin at 10:00am.

In-Person Attendance – We are pleased to welcome family and friends to attend in-person. To prevent any possible spread of COVID-19, we will plan spaced seating between households. The wearing of masks is required, and we ask that families maintain physical distance when arriving and departing. We encourage you to RSVP if you plan to attend the in-person service, however you are not required to RSVP.

RSVP for the In-Person Service

View Livestream – A livestream of the service will be available to view on this page, on Zion’s YouTube channel, and on Zion’s Facebook page. Please view the livestream below.

Download the Service Bulletin

Smartphone-Friendly Version of Bulletin

Obituary

Irene Selma Matzke was born January 29, 1920 to Johann George Henry Nuechterlein, and Rosine Martha Hoerauf. She was raised in Saginaw, Michigan, and married Donald George Matzke, December 16, 1944. They were married 60 years. He preceded her in death September 22, 2005.

While living in Saginaw they became parents to son Gerald Donald. They moved to Lorain, Ohio in 1949, and Beth Ann was born there. They continued to live in Lorain for many years, and Irene wore many hats. She was active at Zion Lutheran Church, serving in Altar Guild, Mother’s Club, choir, and was also active with PTA, and VFW. She also worked outside the home when the children were older. She worked in the bindery of the print shop, ran a postal sub-station, and worked as a clerk at Fligner’s Market in Lorain, until retiring.
Retiring they loved to travel and spent many months on the road in their van. Traveling to 47 of the 50 states, stopping frequently to visit family and friends and enjoying the sights.

After living in Lorain many years, they moved to south Texas, to be closer to daughter Beth. It was while living there Donald was lifted to his heavenly home. She later moved with family to El Paso where she lived until her being lifted with angels to her heavenly home April 5, 2021.

She is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Gladys Yeager, Margaret Walter, Marion Eurich, Ruth Kluck, and brothers Ralph Nuechterlein, Robert Nuechterlein and their spouses.

She is survived by her children Gerald and Susan Matzke, and Beth Ann and Ramon Montanez, grandchildren, Mark and Sue Matzke, Todd and Judith Albertsen, Michael and Sharon Montañez, Bruce and Kimberly Chadwick, Ramon and Alicia Montañez, Tiffani and Erik Escobedo. She is also survived by many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Memorials or donations in leu of flowers can be made to Ysleta Lutheran Mission, 301 S. Schutz, El Paso, Texas 79907, Zion Lutheran Church, 2800 Pershing, El Paso, Texas 79903, Redeemer Lutheran Church, 601 W. Florida, Deming, NM 88030, St. Mark Lutheran Church, 11900 Chilicothe Road, Chesterland, OH 44026.

Please feel free to leave a message to the family below.

Marta Joanna Hamlyn

Service Information and Livestream

The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 2:00pm.

View Live-Stream – A live-stream of the service will be available to view here on this page, on Zion’s Youtube Channel, and on Zion’s Facebook Page. Please view the live-stream below.

Download the Service Bulletin

Obituary

Marta Joanna Hamlyn passed away on March 31, 2021. Marta was born in Panama City, Panama on May 11, 1949. She was the first-born child of Edwin E. Hamlyn and Mary Jane Hamlyn. Marta’s parents returned to the States when Marta was two-years old, and El Paso was Marta’s home for the remainder of her life. Marta attended Mesita Grade School and El Paso High School. She graduated from El Paso High School in 1969. Marta never married and had no children. Because she had limited capabilities, she continued living with her parents, losing her father in 1986 and her mother in 2012. Thereafter, her brother moved into the house and acted as her caregiver. While Marta never had any formal employment, she worked as a volunteer for the El Paso Public Library and later, for more than 10-years, as a volunteer for the YWCA. In her later life, Marta exerted her independence. She mastered the bus system and went on shopping excursions, unaccompanied. She kept active in exercise classes at the Life Care Center and later at EP Fitness. She especially enjoyed having lunch and playing bingo at the Polly Harris Senior Center where she developed friendships, and she longed for the time when the pandemic would end and she could resume this activity. Marta was a simple and caring person. She was a kind person. She loved animals, family and her few friends. She had a remarkable memory of events that occurred in her early life and a keen interest in her family history. She was deeply religious. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and formed friendships with several congregants of the church. One of these congregants in particular, Ms. Linda Chaumont, was one of her closest friends. Also important in Marta’s life was her ex-Sister-in-Law, Deborah Hamlyn, who remained close to her and assisted her in numerous ways. Marta was preceded in death by her parents, and is survived by her brother, Ed Hamlyn, and her nephew, Geoffrey S. Hamlyn.

Memorial contributions may be given to Zion Lutheran Church or a favorite charity.

Marta’s funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 6^th at 2:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 2800 Pershing Drive. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed on-line at www.zionelpaso.org.