PHILIP DEE MATULA
Philip Dee Matula of Round Rock and formerly of Groesbeck, entered fully into the presence of the Lord, on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at age 47, after a valiant battle with cancer for the past four and one-half years.
A Celebration of Life service was held on Saturday, October 13, 2018 in Pflugerville at the Memorial Chapel of Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home where the family was greatly honored with the attendance of many coworkers and friends paying their respects for Philip.
Philip was born in Houston, Texas on December 17, 1970 to Celeste (Hughes) (Matula) Coffee and Felix Matula. He was the only child and delight of his parents and his grandparents’ lives. He grew up the first ten years of his life in Galveston, spending many days fishing in Galveston Bay. He loved animals – dogs, cats and even ferrets. After the family moved to Groesbeck, Phil (or PD as he was called until he attended A&M) enjoyed drama, participating in every play from first grade throughout school, entering UIL in many divisions and enjoying the UIL contests, president of the student body, member of many clubs, and played the French horn in the Groesbeck Goat Marching Band. His Mom took him on many vacations over much of the United States, studying the history of each area for fun, learning experiences. Phil was already using his natural math and electrical talents as a 15-year old, working on his car’s radios, speakers, lights, and taking great pride in cleaning and polishing them. Although he was smart enough that he never brought a book home to study, he graduated as Salutatorian in the Class of 1989.
There was never any doubt for Phil, or his Mom, that he would be “her” Aggie. So after graduation, he enrolled in Texas A & M University at College Station. He played the French horn in the Texas Aggie Marching Band his Freshman year, and shares his devotion with his Mom for the Aggie Fight Song.
He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M in 1994. And later also earned more credits in electrical engineering, becoming qualified as a Master Electrician.
Phil had a life-story that has been larger than life, in his love of family, kindness to others, passionate enjoyment of many activities, quick-wit, dedication to his work, and his many accomplishments. As the only child of Celeste, he grew up being taught there was not anything he could not accomplish, and together they enjoyed many activities. He shared every bit of his life from childhood through all of his adult life with his loving Mom whether in person or on the phone.
Phil was also a loving husband for the past 17 years to Yolanda Matula, and was her dedicated caregiver for the past 13 years during her extensive health problems. He was at her side during each hospitalization, even while carrying out his job responsibilities and experiencing his own health problems. Having always wanted a big family with many children, he loved her children and grandchildren just as if they were his own, loving each one with true unconditional love. He loved to entertain and play with his grandchildren and Saturday mornings would be spent taking them to the Round Rock donut shop.
Phil first went to work for Bexar Electric as a job bidder on big electrical jobs, and due to the reputation he had earned for his work he was solicited by FSG Electrical, working out of Austin. For the past seventeen years, from bidding on their big jobs to becoming project manager, Phil was totally dedicated in using his skills in math, computers and electrical knowledge to make the best decisions for his company. He also loved teaching electrical engineering at night at a trade school in Austin. He worked 12 to 13 hours easily most days, was never far away from his work with his cell phone, even during his illness, hospitalization and chemo treatments. He took great pride and enjoyment in his work and in making money for the company.
Phil had a wonderful quick wit and could keep everybody laughing. He could make his Mom laugh at his jokes all the time. He had a natural instinct for caring about people in general and for his crew. When his crew was working overtime on Saturday or Sunday on a big job he made sure meals were delivered to them (by himself or someone else) at his own expense, and likewise the workers worked hard for him.
Phil loved fishing while he was growing up at the ocean at Galveston and at Lake Limestone, whether swimming or boating, or on jet skies. He also enjoyed driving his Mom’s dune buggy. He tried to enjoy horses as much as his Mom, having several in his youth, but his real love was for “metal horsepower” – the faster wheels the better. He and his Mom enjoyed riding their matching burgundy Harleys.
Everything had to be Aggieburgundy or black from clothes to vehicles. He was an avid car and motor enthusiast and was known to purchase new vehicles to add to his driveway line-up. His final line-up included his Ducati motorcycle and Hellcat car.
He loved football – the Aggies and the Cowboys. He and his Mom were either at the A&M games in person or on the phone during the games, play-by-play. One of his last great thrills last year was being invited to watch the Cowboys at their stadium from a private sky-box seat.
Phil grew up sharing his love of Star Wars movies with his Mom. They attended each movie as it came out and watched them over and over on Saturdays at home. Celeste had tickets to take Phil and his family to the premier showing in Austin of the latest Star Wars movie in December 2017, but she was called home when Bob became ill and missed the movie. Last month, in spite of being so sick, Phil insisted of going to the theater to see the movie again with his Mom and they attended the 9:00 late show.
After Phil was diagnosed with cancer four and one-half years ago, his Mom encouraged him to develop his “bucket list” which she would help him achieve and bought an RV just for that purpose. The top things on the list were fishing with his Mom six months after his first chemo; a cruise to Alaska two years ago; a trip in the RV to take Yolanda to see Mt. Rushmore and other sites last July. The final wish which he did not get to fulfill was for them to go fishing in Alaska.
Phil’s love of life, love of his Mother, love and dedication to the care of Yolanda and her family, and dedication to his work, cannot be fully documented here, but it can be said he was loved and respected in return by all who knew him. The family wishes to thank his boss and FSG for their attentiveness and compassion.
Phil will live on in the hearts of his beloved wife, Yolanda Matula of Round Rock; his beloved mother, Celeste Coffee and his stepdad Bob Coffee of Groesbeck (Lake Limestone); children, Jay, Jackie, Eric, Jen and Ray; grandchildren, Ryan, Victoria, Jordyn, Mackenzie, Olivia, Zachary, Addison, and Alexis; one great-grandchild, Myles James; and countless nieces and nephews and cousins; and not least he is missed by his cherished dogs, Charley and Harley.