Obituary of Stellene Genevieve Matzdorff

Stellene Genevieve Matzdorff

March 13, 1936 – September 16, 2018

Stellene was born on March 13, 1936 to Chester Alva and Ellen Lustell Chenoweth in El Monte, California. She lived in Tulare, Santa Maria and Escondido, California as a young girl but was raised in Van Nuys. She graduated from Van Nuys High School, and then attended Woodbury University in Los Angeles, California, where she graduated with a business degree. She worked for Ford Motor Company, Edsel Division, in Beverly Hills, California for the district sales manager for several years. As a teenager she spent her summers at Catalina Island and Lake Tahoe, California.

She visited her parents in Phoenix, Arizona for Christmas in 1959 and loved the atmosphere; so different from Los Angeles, so she stayed and got a job at Federal Probation and Parole in downtown Phoenix. This was her favorite job. She met her true love, Lyle Matzdorff in Phoenix and they married in October of 1960. They had three sons; Lance, Lonny, and Lenny, and shared 58 years of love, laughter and adventure. They moved to Lake Havasu City four years later. She was a charter member in forming Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School when her children we growing up. Stellene was president of Jaysus (Jaycee Wives) and accomplished the first Easter egg hunt in Havasu at The Sod Farm on the Island (Site Six). She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi for many decades and was voted Sister of the Year. She volunteered for the Cancer Association of Lake Havasu for over 20 years; working on their fund raisers, etc. She was also a member of Keep Havasu Beautiful for many years, where she presented Commercial Pride Awards to deserving businesses. She served as Secretary and on Board of Directors for Lake Havasu Museum of History as well as worked as a docent weekly.

Stellene held her real estate license for 23 years at Continental Land, spending a lot of her time decorating the company’s model homes, which was her most enjoyable job. Her favorite sports were playing tennis over 35 years and swimming. She enjoyed any and all water sports. Her favorite past times were RVing for 40 years; taking in the United States and lots of places in Mexico. She also enjoyed hiking and decorating. She loved being with her grandchildren; reading to them and having “golf ball hunts” in their yard. She really enjoyed spending time at their home in Williams, Arizona amongst the pines.

Stellene leaves behind her loving husband; Lyle Matzdorff, sons; Lance, Lonny and Lenny (Amy) Matzdorff, all of Lake Havasu City, her sister Gaye (Dennis) Trickey, nephew Blake and 8 grandchildren.

A Funeral Service will be held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 10:00 am. Stellene will be laid to rest at Lake Havasu Memorial Gardens after the service. There will be a reception to follow.

Services were entrusted to the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com. To send a free card go to www.sendoutcards.com/lietzfraze.