Ascencion Mata Sr.

Ascencion Mata, Sr., 102, of Sebastian, Texas, embraced our Lord's arms on Sunday, May 14, 2023. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 53 years Eloisa De La Rosa Mata, parents Manuel Mata and Isidora Osoria Mata, daughter San Juanita “Janie” Linda Mata Cantu, and his 10 siblings Francisca Mata Moreno, Infant Bibiano Mata, Petra Mata Oviedo, Infant Pedro Mata, Lina Mata Pedraza, Nestora Mata Pedraza, Pedro Mata, Maria Mata Mireles, Infant Jose Mata, niece Sofia Mata Solis. Manuel and Isidora Mata lived in a small village in Mexico as a young couple. The family was strong in their faith and lived a honest, hardworking life. After a few years, Manuel became unhappy with the unfair Mexican wages and their lifestyle so he and Isidora decided to migrate to the United States seeking a better way of life for their family. In 1920, Manuel and Isidora and their family migrated from Mexico to the United States and they settled in San Benito, Texas. In 1921, Ascencion was born, being the eighth child born to Manuel and Isidora Mata. They lived in San Benito for 13 years and in 1934 the family moved to the Lyford and Sebastian area in Willacy county, Texas. Ultimately they settled down in Sebastian, Texas. Ascencion attended Sebastian elementary school which was a sacrifice and hardship because the family lived four miles away from the nearest school and Ascension was only able to obtain a second grade education. He spent his childhood years working on the farm and in the fields alongside his father. In 1937, when Ascencion was only 16 years old, his father passed away at 60 years of age. Their mother became a widow at the age of 57 with 8 children to raise. Ascencion and his older brother Pedro, who suffered from polio, had to work to support the family at a very young age. The entire family pitched in to help the household. By doing so, they were able to buy land, equipment, trucks, and the necessary items to keep up the farm. In 1942, during World War II, Ascencion was drafted into the United States Army at the age of 21. He was assigned to an army base in Salt Lake City, Utah where he spent one moth of basic training. He was then assigned to an army base in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he received an additional eight months of training. After completion of the training, Ascencion was sent to New York where he was preparing to sail overseas to join the Armed Forces in Germany. On November 9, 1943, Ascencion was honorably discharged from the United States Army because of his lack of education. They required a 5th or 6th grade education and Ascencion only had a 2nd grade level of education. He was saddened to know he could not serve his country due to his level of education, although he was a strong, young man and had been properly trained. He returned to his home in Sebastian, Texas, where he continued to work hard on the family farm and through the years saved up enough money to purchase his own truck. On July 3, 1949, at the age of 28, Ascencion married Eloisa De La Rosa, the most beautifulest girl in Sebastian, Texas. They were married at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Sebastian, Texas. The couple was blessed with six children, two girls and four boys, San Juanita Linda, Ascencion, Jr., Vicente, Guadalupe, Celia, and Roberto. Eloisa and Ascencion, were strong in their faith and they both instilled a love of God and family in their children as they also taught them to be honest hard woking adults. As newly weds, Ascencion and Eloisa migrated to other states including Nebraska where they worked in the fields along with other siblings of Ascencion. During those years, since Ascension had his own field truck, he managed a field crew. In the months when they came back to Sebastian, Mr. Mata continued to work on his parents land along with the other siblings. He and Eloisa continued to save up their money and saved enough to purchase 20 acres of land near Santa Rosa, Texas. The couple and their children all worked in their own fields where they cultivated cotton and sorghum crops. They did it all from planting, hoeing the weeds, and taking the crops to the market. This made both Ascencion and Eloisa very proud parents. Ascencion had other jobs along his working years to support his family. At one point he even worked in the fishing industry at Rockport, Texas for a while. He had other jobs including working at Alberto’s Seafood Packing shed in Harlingen, Texas for about 12 years. He also worked at the La Feria Water Irrigation District for many years until he reached his retirement age. Throughout the years, Mr. Mata always worked hard earning a respectable honest living to provide for his family. On September 20, 1967, Hurricane Beulah, a major hurricane, made landfall in the southern tip of Texas near Brownsville, Texas. It caused major damage to many valley cities, especially Willacy County.The Mata family’s humble one bedroom home was flooded for days and they suffered great loss of their home and belongings. However, Ascencion and Eloisa were able to obtain a USDA FmHA financed four bedroom brick home which they enjoyed for many years and still stands. Ascencion and Eloisa were a very happy and respectable couple. Life wasn’t all work and no play. They loved to dress up and go out dancing and they were very good dancers. They were proud parents of their children and family, love, faith, and unity were of utmost importance. The couple celebrated their 25th Silver Anniversary on July 6, 1974 and their 50th Golden Anniversary July 3, 1999, along with their family and friends. On March 31, 2003, at the age of 82, Ascencion suffered the tremendous loss of his beloved wife and partner Eloisa De La Rosa Mata after being happily married for 53 years. She was just 75 years old. Ascencion leaves behind to cherish his memory his children Ascencion (Elvia) Mata, Jr., Vicente (Mary) Mata, Guadalupe (Rosie) Mata, Celia (Rolando+) Mata Delgado, Roberto Mata, grandchildren Orlando (Flor) Cantu, Daniel Cantu, Amanda Marie (Rick) Galvan, Victoria Marie (Mark) Perez, Christopher Mata, Vanessa "Missy" Mata, David Mata, great grandchildren Nicolas Cantu, Matthew Cantu, Camila Grace Cantu, Aaron Michael Galvan, Ethan Michael Galvan, Ilana Marie Galvan, Olivia Marie Perez, Avery Marie Perez, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will begin on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a rosary at 7:00 p.m. Funeral service will be on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen, Texas at 1:00 p.m. with burial to follow at Restlawn Memorial Park in La Feria, Texas. Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Orlando Cantu, Daniel Cantu, Christopher Mata, David Mata, Aaron Galvan, and Ethan Galvan. Honored to serve as honorary pallbearers will be Amanda Marie Galvan, Victoria Marie Perez, Vanessa "Missy" Perez, Nicolas Cantu, Matthew Cantu, Camila Grace Cantu, Ilana Marie Galvan, Olivia Marie Perez, and Avery Marie Perez. Mr. Mata was a man of God and has always put God first in his 102 years of life. A man with a strong religious foundation through the faith formation of his mother, Isidora Osoria Mata, who lived to be 106…With God all things are possible. When asked why has God granted you so many years of life, he said…”I am an obedient servant of God and obedient to my parents, my brothers and sisters, and my family”. When asked about his message to his family, he said “ love and take care of your family as I have cared for mine”.

Ascencion Mata Sr.

May 12, 1921 - May 14, 2023

Explore Obituaries &
Upcoming Services