Marion Matey

Marion Patricia Matey, 96, of Kerrville, Texas peacefully passed away surrounded by family on May 4, 2019 at a local care facility.\r\n\r\nBorn the fifth of six children on December 17, 1922 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Marion was raised by her older siblings after being orphaned as a young teen. While still enrolled in nursing school, she married her high school sweetheart, Douglas Andrew Matey, on August 26, 1944, at Holy Trinity Slovak Lutheran Church in Bridgeport, while he was home on leave from the US Marine Corp before being deployed as a fighter pilot to the Pacific theater during WWII. After receiving her nursing degree, Marion moved to California to care for the returning war wounded while she awaited her husband's safe return. He did return at war's end and they were blessed with four children and 74 happy, memorable years of marriage.\r\n\r\nMarion, devoted wife and loving mother, was also a dedicated volunteer for a multitude of causes including orphans and the handicapped. After her children were grown, she returned to school to earn a Bachelor of Nursing degree and then worked many years in neonatal intensive care. She was a prankster and developed an expertise for inventively and humorously convincing everyone to fulfill her wishes. She was an adventurous soul who mastered painting, pottery, golf, bowling, and bridge. She was an avid traveler, ever interested in the culture, art and history of different peoples and places and especially fascinated by the art and culture of Native Americans of the Southwest. Her children will remember her curious, open-minded, tolerant, adaptable spirit and her tireless, steadfast and lifelong devotion to them and to their father. In good times and bad, she was always there and somehow was able to make things better. She was a remarkable woman. We give thanks that she and dad are once again reunited.\r\n\r\nMarion was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Andrew Matey; by her only daughter, Holly Ann Matey Biglari Craft and by her youngest son, Andrew Stephen Matey; by son-in-law, Siamak Biglari; by her parents, Helen and Stephen Holly; by siblings, John and Sophie Holly, William and Emily Holly, Jean and John Tabak, Ann and Peter Stempert, and Paul and Alice Holly; by brother-in-law, Herbert Arnold Matey; and by sisters-in law, Harriet Johnson Matey and Loree Carter Matey.\r\n\r\nShe is survived by sons, Douglas Matey Jr. and wife, Kathleen, and David Matey and wife, Dori; by son-in-law, Hal Craft; by sister-in-law, Joan Ann Mallory; and brothers-in-law, John Arthur Matey, and Robert Igor Matey and wife, Patricia; by eight grandchildren: Megan Matey, Douglas Matey III and wife Jennifer, Melinda Matey Williams and husband Robert, Andrew Matey, Sarah Matey Snyder and husband Joseph, Matthew Matey and wife Jessica, Aaron Matey and wife Anna, and Heather Matey; by fifteen great-grandchildren: Luke, Zachary, Charles and Mia Donovan; Douglas IV "Fourdam", Aiden and Kendall Matey; Robert "Owen", Sydney and Ethan Williams; Henry and Harry Snyder; Summer Matey; and Borianna and Alexander Matey; and by many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.\r\n\r\nThe family would like to sincerely thank her caregivers, especially Erin, Kelsey, Julie, Rick, Dawn, and Dr. James Young of Peterson Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the hospice organization of your choice.\r\n\r\nPrivate services and burial are planned for a later date.\r\n\r\n