Our Staff

A native of Port Arthur and a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in 1979, Matt began his career in the funeral profession at age 16. In 1983 he graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service with academic honors and began his professional career with the family operation.

Under the guidance of his father, Bill, and his uncle, Joe Oberle, he moved into management and continued there until December of 1998. In December of 1998 he joined Clayton-Thompson Funeral Directors and continues to serve families here today.

Matt has been active in many community organizations, including the North Port Arthur Rotary (Board of Directors, 2000–2001), Groves Knights of Columbus (Council #3491), Santa Maria Assembly (4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Past Faithful Navigator), the CavOILcade Commodores, Psi Sigma Eta National Honors Fraternity, and past leadership with the Greater Port Arthur Jaycees. He is married to Patsy; together they have four children and six grandchildren and make their home in Groves.

Charles "Junior" Hanson, owner of Clayton-Thompson Funeral Home, is a familiar face to many residents of our community. He has been with Clayton-Thompson since he began, at age 14, working there as an ambulance attendant. "Clayton-Thompson is more than just a business to me. It's also about friendship, caring and concern for the people we serve. When someone places their trust in our funeral home, it is our responsibility to provide a staff of properly trained, attentive and caring people who give personal attention to every detail. My wife, Rochelle, and myself along with our capable staff are here to assist people in any way possible. We are also very proud of our facility and we feel that it reflects our desire to have a place our families can receive friends in comfort and dignity.

Funerals are very personal and we feel they should be handled to meet the varied needs and desires of each of our families. The families in our community represent many customs, cultures and religions each having special traditions. What matters to us is what you think and what you want. Our funeral directors are flexible and creative and will meet the different needs of each family.

Clayton-Thompson also offers a way to pre-plan and pre-pay a funeral, thereby freezing the cost of the funeral at today's prices. This simple procedure can save your loved ones from having to make difficult decisions at a very stressful time in their lives. Pre-planning your funeral service won't take away the hurt of death, but it will reduce the burden when you and your family make important decisions ahead of time. We invite you to learn more about our convenient options for pre-arranging and pre-paying the funeral service. Please be assured that we welcome your questions and offer our counsel without charge. We want you to be informed about funeral service choices and have the peace of mind that comes with making informed decisions.

Clayton-Thompson is proud to be a part of this community and we appreciate the trust that the people of this community have placed in Clayton-Thompson by choosing us."