Date of Death: January 15, 2024
Service Details
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 20, 2024 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Three Rivers Bible Church, 220 N. Erie St., Three Rivers. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Pastor Jeff Homan officiating. Interment will take place at Ft. Custer National Cemetery in the spring.
Obituary Notice
John Charles Matazel, 87, of Three Rivers, passed away Monday, January 15, 2024 at his home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born November 6, 1936 in Chicago, the son of John and Mary (Hynek) Matazel.
John served his country in the United States Army at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, NM. He later worked as a printer for various businesses ending his career at Merchant’s Publishing Company in Kalamazoo, MI.
On July 20, 1974, he married Ruth (Anderson) Matazel in Chicago and they moved to Southwest Michigan to start their life together.
John was a long-time member of Three Rivers Bible Church, but more importantly he loved the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior and because of that love served in many ministries of the church so that others might come to know Him as their Savior as well. John was a man of many interests and delighted in learning new things.
Remaining to cherish his memory are his wife, Ruth Matazel, and daughters, Betsy Matazel of Grand Rapids, MI and Molly Matazel of Middlebury, IN.
He was preceded in death by his parents and by his brother, Jerome (Jeremy).
Additional Information
Donations in John’s memory may be directed to Pacific Garden Mission, Chicago, IL or to Three Rivers Bible Church, Three Rivers, MI. Envelopes will be available at the church.
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Ruth..so sorry to see that your husband passed away. Thinking of you and your girls. Old 3rd ward friend…Nancy (Buck) Wheat
Ruth, Betsy, Molly, and extended family,
My sincere condolences to you all. John was always a welcome sight to see at our family reunion. His love for you -Ruth showed. His delight in spending with his daughters Betsy and Molly showed when he talked and wrote about his trip with you- Betsy and Molly.
I regret the weather and road conditions prevented my siblings and me from attending this celebration of his life and comforting you all. You are in our prayers. May God bless his soul to heaven as you celebrate his good life in Christ.
Sincerely
Wayne F Anderson
Springfield cousin
Such a sharp, sharp man. Great intellect and wit. I’ll miss our conversations about hockey and all-things Chicago. A devoted Christian and member of Three Rivers Bible Church. RIH John. Many prayers for your friends and family.
Ruth, Betsy, and Molly, we are very sorry to hear that John, passed away but we all know that he’s in Heaven looking down on all of us. John, loved Jesus Christ, The Church, his Family, and People. He was a good friend and was always willing to help and serve his church, and people. We will all miss John, but we know he’s in a better place, REST IN PEACE JOHN
Harold and Bonnie Price
January 18, 2024
Betsy, Bonnie and I are sorry to read of your father’s passing. We know you will miss him and will hold you in our prayers. trusting you will find peace in Jesus. I was just looking over some of our Israel trip pictures this afternoon. We sure had a wonderful time with you. Again, Betsy you are on our hearts and in our thoughts.
John was very special to me. He was such an encourager, and it made me feel so good to know that he was thinking of me when he picked up books he knew I would enjoy or clipped an interesting article and put it in my church mailbox. I enjoyed our conversations, and it was very satisfying to work alongside him on church boards so many years. The breadth of his knowledge was amazing!
He played a very vital role in our church family life. I know that there are many things that I didn’t see, but the ones that I did – like serving on the board, encouraging our pastors, and being a key part of our Sunday School class – are important and made TRBC a better place to belong. His faithfulness was an inspiration to me and to many others. He loved the Lord and he loved others well.
I am so thankful for my friendship with John! And I am going to miss him tremendously.
John was always such a light and that light will truly be missed. I’m sorry for your loss and will be praying for you while you navigate this next chapter.
Mr. M was special. His love for the Lord showed through everything he did. I am grateful to him and your family for all the love and kindness you have shown my mom and our family over the years. You will be in my prayers Mrs. M, Betsey and Molly.
I will miss John greatly. He was such an encouragement to me. Many books in my library were given to me by him. Many will never fully realize what sort of impact he had on our church, Three Rivers Bible. He didn’t like to receive recognition or attention, but he did a host of things behind the scenes. I will miss John’s greetings, his stories, and his devotion to Christ and His church. I am grateful to have known John and will continue to pray for his family.
John Matazel was an intelligent, kind, Christ loving & humble man. He had an encyclopedic mind. He served at Three Rivers Bible Church in many capacities. He did not seek attention. He will be so missed by all.
Don and char burnau says they are sorry for your loss and praying for you Ruth and Betsy and Molly
John was one to always say hello and ask how you were. A staple at the Bible church, he also had many interesting stores and a love for the City of Chicago. You will definitely be missed.
I’ve known John since 1972 when we worked together for many years. John was always a true friend and will be greatly missed. RIP John.