Joseph P. Mattes

Joseph P. Mattes, 93, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Monday, January 17, 2011 at the Wakefield Health Care Center in Wakefield, Nebraska. Funeral services for Joe will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 21, 2011 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wakefield; Pastor Willie Bertrand will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Thursday from 3:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the Bressler ~ Munderloh Funeral Home in Wakefield. The family will be present from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. with a prayer service at 6:30 P.M. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by the Llewellyn B. Whitmore VFW Post #5291 from Wayne, Nebraska. Joe was born on the family farm near Allen, Nebraska on November 30, 1917, the son of Jacob and Sophie (Burger) Mattes. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Martinsburg, Nebraska. Joe entered the United States Army in May of 1942, serving in the Army Air Corps. He spent 28 months in the European Theater with the Eighth Air Force. He was discharged on October 27, 1945. Joe was united in marriage to Della Thomsen on December 30, 1945 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wakefield. After their marriage, Joe worked for two years at the Sackerson Implement in Wakefield. He started farming in 1948, and did so until his retirement in 1975, at which time Joe and Della moved into Wakefield. Della died on February 7, 2008. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wakefield, a member of V.F.W. Post #5765, he served on the Rural fire district board, the Dixon County School reorganization board and was a 4-H Leader. Joe is survived by his son William and wife Sondra of Wakefield, three grandchildren Scott and wife Angela of Irvine, California, Sara and husband Andy Rygol of Omaha, Nebraska and son Brian of Wakefield. He is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Regan Mattes of California, Zander Rygol of Omaha and Kaleigh Mattes of Wakefield. Joe is also survived by sister-in-laws Ruth Mattes and Dorothy Mattes of Laurel, Nebraska and Lydia Thomsen of Wayne, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 63 years Della, brothers Fred, George, Jay, Raymond, Earl and Frances and sisters Theresa, Minnie, Leona and Effie.