State Senator Stanley Matzke had a well-rounded political career. In 1941, he supported legislation to create the Nebraska Vocational Technical School at Milford. An early-day advocate of soil and water conservation, Stanley participated in conservation legislation and the formation of soil conservation districts. Stanley delivered 1500 speeches from 1930 to 1968 in 64 Nebraska counties and in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Tennessee, on water control; farming; agricultural economics; vocational training; and promoting Nebraska’s potential.
A Tribute to the Late Senator Stanley A. Matzke
In paying tribute to one of the honorees for this year’s recognition by the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement, I would like to quote from a portion of my remarks presented at a memorial service for the late Senator Stanley A. Matzke on January 22, 1969:
“The Nebraska Unicameral, by virtue of its unique structure, provides for the most closely-knit group of Legislators in the country. We undoubtedly know more about the weaknesses and strengths, interests, and background of each other than any other similar group representing a legislative branch. Consequently, we can have tremendous influence over the lives of the other 48 as we work together in the midst of democratic conflict week after week and month after month. Operating even more like a family, or at least a group of relatives, is the basic unit of any state government more especially in Nebraska, The Standing Committee. In the midst of this important group, a member can really sense the impact of his or hour hours of toil, of statesmanship.
Stan Matzke left his imprint upon the lives of the eight members of the Budget Committee. He reminded us that while we are not infallible, we each had an inner strength which gave us the opportunity to make a unique contribution to the welfare of Nebraska. He never allowed the chairman to be too much impressed or upset with titles, degrees, or newspaper articles. He strove to keep all of us down to earth, especially in the area of education, conservation, and agricultural research.
In the midst of Committee controversy, he would make most effective his substantial contribution to compromise from lessons learned by him as the result of valuable experience as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a lawyer, an officeholder, a lobbyist, a newspaperman and an executive. In short, a politician. His varied experience was invaluable in his service to the Committee on many sub-committee assignments which were designed to bring the loose ends of budgeting together into a meaningful pattern. He taught us, by example, persistence, humility, patience, compromise without losing integrity or principle, tolerance and finally, optimism for the future. We in the Nebraska Legislature, as individuals and in our decisions, are better for his having served with us and for his having left us with this message. He was one of us in the peculiar brotherhood which unites Legislators in a Body such as this. He had an individual contribution to make and he made it because he was an active legislator and a statesman. He has changed perceptively the character of this Body.”
As we in the Nebraska Legislature all knew, Stanley Matzke had one of the most unique, well-rounded careers of any political figure in the history of a state which has produced many interesting and rugged individualists.
He was born July 27, 1898, in “I” Township, Seward County, Nebraska, on the farm purchased by his grandfather, John H. Fosler in 1872 and on which his mother Elorrie M. Fosler was born in 1874. Now the location of the home of Mrs. Stanley Matzke, the original quarter section has been the home of five generations. This farm, located in eastern Seward County, 16 miles west of Lincoln, is a mile from the 120-acre farm on which his father, Charles F. Matzke was reared after coming from Green County, Wisconsin in 1873, with his mother and father, William Matzke, who was born in Germany and who was a three-year veteran of the Civil War.
He was educated in the Goehner and Milford School systems in Seward County, Nebraska, and was a member of the graduating class of Milford High School in 1917. Private Stanley Matzke in World War I served in a heave artillery company. Returning from the war, Stanley was a student at the University of Nebraska from 1919-1924, receiving a L.L.B. degree in 1924. He began the practice of law in Milford, July 1, 1924. Lawyer Matzke continued the practice of his profession in Seward from 1927-1945.
Stanley was elected County Attorney of Seward County in 1926 and re-elected in 1930. He served two terms as State Senator representing the 24th district from 1940-1944. In 1941 he successfully backed legislation creating the present Nebraska Vocational Technical School at Milford.
After serving State Government as the Director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance from 1945-1946, Stanley became Farm Editor for the Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, serving in this capacity from 1946-1951. He was Legislative and farm reporter and commentator for Radio Station KRVN from 1952-1953.
Lawyer-politician-public relations expert Matzke rounded out his business career as Assistant to the General Manager, The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, Hastings, Nebraska from November 1953 to retirement August 1, 1963.
Returning to the 24th State legislative district, Stanley was elected in 1964 and re-elected in 1966 as State Senator. He returned to the Unicameral after an absence of twenty years, bringing the added dimensions of experience as a department head, newspaper editor and radio commentator, and lobbyist to his new duties.
Stanley Matzke’s extra-curricular projects, dove-tailed into his many professional careers, emphasized his intense interest in agricultural activities. An early-day advocate of Soil and Water Conservation, Stanley took an active part in conservation legislation and the formation of Soil Conservation districts. He was one of the proponents and the first Secretary of the Salt-Wahoo Watershed Association and an active member of the Big Blue River Watershed Planning Board.
In addition, Stanley held the joint title of Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska State Irrigation Association from 1957-1964 and at the time of his passing was a member of that Association’s Executive Committee. He was the President of the Nebraska Reclamation Association in 1965 and also served as the executive director of the Nebraska Reclamation Association and a member of the Water Users Committee of the National Reclamation Association.
In recognition of his many years of dedication to a wide variety of agricultural activities, Stanley Matzke received such honors as:
(a) Soil Conservation Society of America Award, 1952, for “Fostering and promoting through the press the watershed approach to Soil Conservation and flood abatement to advance the Science and Art of good land use.”
(b) The Nebraska County Agents Association certificate of commendation “For meritorious public service in the field of agriculture,” 1952.
(c) Distinguished Service Award, Nebraska Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, 1962.
(d) Award of Honor for outstanding personal contribution to the development of the Salt Valley Watershed District and Program, 1967.
(e) Headgate Award of the Four States’ Irrigation Council (Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming) for distinguished service to irrigation and water resource development, 1968.
Stanley delivered 1500 speeches from 1930 to 1968 in 64 Nebraska counties and in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Tennessee, on water control, conservation, development, and utilization; agriculture and farming; agricultural economics; education and trade and vocational training; and Nebraska’s potential and opportunities.
Despite the many and varied honors received by Stanley Matzke during his colorful career, his pride and joy were bound up in his family. He married Pauline Burkett on June 5, 1930, residing in Seward 1930-1949; Lincoln 1949-1954; Hastings 1954-62; Milford, Route 2, January 1, 1963 to date.
Four children blessed this union: Gerald E. Matzke, Attorney at Law, Sidney, Nebraska;
Stanley A. Matzke, Jr., Former Superintendent, University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture, Curtis, Nebraska. Now Assistant Director, Resident Instruction, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Nebraska;
Ella-Mae (Ellan) Matzke Hove. Married to Andrew C. Hove, Vice President, Minden Exchange National Bank, Minden, Nebraska;
Charles Burkett Matzke, Assistant Vice President, Packers National Bank, Omaha.
Eleven lively grandchildren complete the family circle. No public figure ever had a more enthusiastic group of friendly critics and supporters.
In conclusion, quoting again from the memorial service of January 22, 1969, are these appropriate observations from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., as quoted by the Reverend Charles Stephen:
“’As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at peril of being judged not to have lived.’ . . . . in the hearts of those who knew and loved him most, Stan Matzke is judged to have lived, and to have lived long and lived well. His life was action and passion; it was dreams and visions; it was responsibility and the slow and patient building for tomorrow.”
Today at this ceremony, we recognize and pay tribute to the dedicated life of Stanley A. Matzke.
