Hundreds turn out for funeral of Dallas restaurateur Matt Martinez on Thursday

by Teresa Gubbins

Matt Martinez Jr. funeral 3-19-09

(Click photo to see entire gallery)

Matt Martinez' widow Estella graciously accepts condolences.

DALLAS — Nearly 500 people turned out for the funeral mass of Dallas restaurateur Matt Martinez Jr. on Thursday, which took place at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in East Dallas.

Martinez, 63, died last week in a hospice after battling brain cancer.

The service, which lasted nearly two hours and included memorials from his son and daughter, drew food service veterans and chefs such as John Cuellar, Mark Maguire, Lisa Perini, and Marc Cassel, but was dominated by Martinez' "family", which included not just his mother, wife, children, and grandchildren, but also hundreds of employees and customers from his restaurants Matt's Rancho Martinez in Lakewood and YO Ranch in the West End.

Pallbearers that included Andy French, Tommy Granberry, Grant Lappin, Tim Lew, Gary Roberson, Bob Sanders, Michael Shine, and Dr. Robert Somoano escorted Martinez' casket to the altar where a trio of priests presided.

In her remembrance, Matt's daughter Christine Nicole Lopez said that the family learned in June 2008 that Matt had cancer, but that he been fighting it for five years and kept it secret so it wouldn't worry his mother.

"My grandfather, Matt Senior, would ask, 'Are you happy?'" she said. ""My father, as you know, would walk around and say, 'I am so happy.'"

Matt Martinez' widow Estella graciously accepts condolences.

Namesake son Matt Martinez III choked up during his memorial, which he crafted into a "tall tale" about the legend of Matt, whose marksmanship was so precise that he cold "knock the eye out of a fly from 100 paces."

"Matt was born to giants, and when you're born to giants, you're related to everyone," Matt III said. "That's where he gets his name: 'Uncle Matt'."

He said his father thought you should "eat meat the way God meant it: chicken-fried," and that "Uncle Matt" was "fixing the best Tex-Mex the Lord has ever tasted."

Matt's niece, Lisa Acuna, sang his favorite song, "Mary Did You Know," a song that she said always made him cry.

After the service, guests mingled in front of the church, many paying respects to Matt's widow Estella, who encouraged them to meet up at Rancho Martinez and continue reminiscing.

Staff
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Jesus Valadez, says:

For a second, I read this as Cesar Chavez.

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8 months, 2 weeks ago
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Russ Vandeveerdonk, says:

Thanks Peg News and Teresa for covering this story.

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8 months, 2 weeks ago
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Tracy Yost, says:

ditto Russ.

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newsmom, says:

I will always remember the evening I brought a French reporter to Matt's No Place, then the only restaurant i town with an unlisted number. I introduced her to Matt, who lit up that wry smile of his. "Well, eat slowly, because you're in for a surprise," he said. "Don't leave for a while." The mischief in his voice suggested there was no point in pursuing the the reason why we should stick around, so we ate slowly -- even ordered dessert. Midway through our meal in walks Julia Child. She had come to Matt's for chicken-friend steak. I was dumbfounded. Here was this culinary icon in my funky East Dallas neck of the woods. She was gracious to the point of speaking French with my guest. I still have the photograph of Matt, Julia and Catherine. She has the one of me with them. It's one of those little memories that make life a pleasure to view in the rear-view mirror. Matt will always live in memories like this.