Obituary

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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.