Jesse Garcia Mata

Jesse Garcia Mata, 73, was welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven after a courageous 9 year battle with Cancer. Jesse was born to Life on June 1st, 1947 and Born to Eternity on October 29, 2020.

He was a lifelong resident of San Angelo, TX and of St Joseph’s Catholic Church.

Jesse’s path in life began to emerge at 8 years of age when he volunteered to clean the Church yard and serve as an altar boy. Jesse married Rosantina, the love of his life for 49 years, and shortly after had a son, Jesse Galvan Mata.

Jesse joined the funeral ministry to support families during difficult times by preparing and serving meals from the church kitchen. For many years, Jesse looked forward to volunteering at the annual Church festivals. As a member of “Living in the Light Ministry”, he ministered to the incarcerated throughout the state of Texas. After visiting the prisons, he concluded that he must reach out beyond the jail cells to make a difference, therefore he decided to join the “Angel Tree Ministry” and help children of incarcerated parents.

Jesse joined the Knights of Columbus, Council # 12798 on February 26, 2001 and on March 4th, 2006, he became a 4th degree Knight of Columbus. He was later called to be a Eucharistic Minister and would pray and take Communion to members who were homebound, hospitalized, or in a nursing home. While he ministered, he also volunteered at the Catholic Outreach for 10 years.

Jesse had the gift of getting people to laugh – friends and family will always remember him as someone who can bring joy or happiness to any situation.

Jesse is survived by wife of 49 years, Rosantina Galvan Mata, son Jesse Galvan Mata and wife, Angelique Mata, brother, Manuel Garcia Mata and wife, Alicia Mata, children, Marie Rivera and husband, Leopoldo Rivera, Roberto Vargas and wife, Karina Vargas and Marina Vargas. Grandchildren, Byanka Mata, Esteban Mata, Victoria Mata, Isabella Mata, Crystal Santellano, Karlo Hinojosa, Lorena Beltran, Kandace Ponce, Natalia Chavez, Antonio Beltran, and Felipe Vargas

He was preceded in death by his twin sister, Irene Sanchez, parents, Manuel Orona Mata and Frances Garcia Mata, sisters, Udelia “Lela” Torres, Romalda “Malle” Reyes, Manuela Garibay, brothers, Santiago “Jimmy” Gonzales Mata, Francisco “Frank” Fitchett Mata, child, Antonio “Tony” Vargas and granddaughter Liza Santellano

The family would like to thank Hospice of San Angelo, Dr. Cheruku, the Tulsa Cancer Center of America staff, the Knights of Columbus, Gary and Leny Davis, Gilbert Gomez, Godfather and friend – Robert Villescas and the many friends and family for their care and prayers.

I MADE IT HOME – I just wanted to let you know I made it home. Everything is so pretty here, so white, so fresh, so new. I wish that you could close your eyes so you could see it too. Please try not to be sad for me. Try to understand. God is taking care of me… I’m in the shelter of his hands. Here there is no sadness, and no sorrow and no pain. Here there is no crying, and I’ll never hurt again. Here it is so peaceful, when all the angels sing. I really have to go now… I’ve just got to try my wings. PS…I’ll be the first face you see when you get here!