ZALMA -- Funeral service for Dr. Gene Van Matre of Rolla was held Wednesday at Rolla Church of Christ. Burial was in Ozark Memorial Gardens.

Null and Son Funeral Home at Rolla was in charge of arrangements.

Van Matre, 66, died Sunday, Sept. 8, 1996, at his home.

He was born Oct. 8, 1929, at Zalma, son of Noah and Lillie Jackson Van Matre. He and Becky Francis were married April 19, 1953, in Cape Girardeau.

Van Matre was a graduate of Lutesville High School, Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, and received a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1969.

He was a high school teacher and counselor several years and also served on the staff at Southeast University.

Van Matre began work at the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1969, and retired as senior psychologist in 1993. He was instrumental in obtaining the Counseling Center Program on the UMR campus, and was active in bringing the Central Ozark Mental Health Service to Rolla.

He was a member of Rolla Church of Christ, where he served as a deacon and elder. He served on the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and he and his wife were presenters for Christian Marriage Encounter throughout the United States. He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Laura Stering of San Francisco, Calif.; a son, Eric Van Matre of St. Louis; his mother of Marble Hill; four sisters, Freeda Huskey and Shirley Bollinger of Marble Hill, Ruth Hinkle of Cape Girardeau, Kay Smith of Montgomery, Ala.; a brother, Clint Van Matre of Marble Hill; two stepgranddaughters; and a great-stepgrandson.

He was preceded in death by a brother.