Curtis P Matejka

Curtis Paul Matejka Age 76 of rural Perham, MN passed away suddenly on Wednesday July 22, 2026 at his home.

He was born December 22, 1949 in Morris, MN to the late Clarence Harry and Emilie Anna (Van Dyke) Matejka Sr.

Curt grew up on his parent’s farm in Herman with his six brothers and sisters. He graduated Herman High School in 1967. Upon graduation he attended the University of MN at Morris before enlisting in the army in December of 1969. Following basic training, he was deployed to Vietnam. He spoke with pride of his time in Vietnam being the aerial observer on reconnaissance flights logging over 300 flight hours. He spent 1 year in Vietnam before he was honorably discharged as a Specialist 5. Following the military, he attended Wadena Area Technical Institute and earned his Construction Electrician degree in 1973. He then married in 1975 and moved to rural Twin Valley where his children, Tim and Michelle, were born. In 1990 the family moved to rural Perham where Curt worked as a Master Electrician at JC Electric until his retirement. He was a highly skilled electrician with impeccable work ethic. He spent his free time working outdoors and transforming his land into a hunting haven. He planted and cared for tens of thousands of trees, planted a yearly vegetable garden and deer food plots, and built many deer stands. He loved all kinds of hunting and fishing, with white tail deer hunting being his favorite. He enjoyed inviting family and friends to hunt with him and many stories were told while butchering deer and sipping peppermint Schnapps. He taught both his children to hunt and his son hunted with him for nearly four decades. He was even able to take his granddaughter, Cailin, hunting for her first time and she shot a buck with him in the stand coaching her. He also travelled to Montana many times to mule deer and bear hunt. He liked hiking and camping and hiked Great Northern Mountain in Montana several times and even took his daughter on the trail to get one more hike in before he turned 60. Curt was a humble man of few words who was skilled at mechanical repairs, home repairs, plumbing, carpentry, etc., you name it, he could build or repair it and was happy to help others.

Following divorce and retirement, Curt began volunteering at the VFW and Color Guard. It was at the VFW that he met the love of his life Rhonda L. (Frazee) Matejka who also shared a passion for military activism. The two were united in marriage on October 31, 2014. They enjoyed outdoors, travel, their six dogs, and of course he taught her to hunt. They worked side by side in the garden, at her craft shows, and caring for each other after various surgeries. Rhonda has six children who admired Curt as their step dad.

He is survived by his wife Rhonda, his son Tim Matejka, his daughter Michelle (Patrick) Nugent, step daughters Candace Jimenez, Monique Frazee, Cheyanne Simpkins, step sons Bobby Simpkins, Dillon Johnson, Jaime Frazee, sisters Diane (Craig) Lund, Chris (Mike) Roforth, Eunice (Tom) Davis, VJ (Dean) Dopson, brother Chip (Donna) Matejka, sister-in-law Birdie Matejka, granddaughter Cailin Nugent, step grandchildren Shiloh Johnson, Jameson Johnson, Jocelyn Jimenez, Areanna Jimenez, and numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his mother-in-law Esther Frazee, his brother John Matejka, his nephew Peter Beaulieu, and his beloved dog Koko.

A celebration of Curt’s life will be held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Wednesday July 29, 2026 at the David-Donehower Funeral Home, 609 US Highway 10 East, Detroit Lakes, MN. A special sharing will take place at 3:00 PM. Curt will be laid to rest with full military honors at MN State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.

Curt was a living organ donor, having donated a kidney years ago, as well as donation after death; please consider organ donation.