Death
In 2008, Mattox worked in Hillary Rodham Clinton's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. He died eight months thereafter at the age of 65 in his sleep at his home in Dripping Springs in Hays County east of Austin. The cause of death was unknown. In addition to his sister, he was survived by his wife, Marta K. Mattox (born February 26, 1955), and their two children, Jim "Jimmer" Maddox and Janet "Sissi" Mattox, and his younger brother, Jerry Mattox
Chuck McDonald, the Richards spokesman during the 1990 gubernatorial primary described Mattox as "the original maverick. He prided himself on being the voice of the little guy and took on every big-money interest group he could find. As a political rival, he was as tough as they came. He never backed down from a fight, and he made all the candidates stronger."
Garry Mauro, the Texas land commissioner from 1983-1999 who was defeated for governor in 1998 by George W. Bush and who later managed Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in Texas, described Mattox as a man "pounding on the table for the people. Anybody that thinks of Jim Mattox and doesn't think of the 'people's lawyer' really didn't know him. He never saw a fight he'd walk away from."
Mattox's body lay in repose at the Texas House of Representatives chamber inside the Texas Capitol rotunda on Monday, November 23, 2008. Services were held on Tuesday, November 24, 2008 at the First Baptist Church, 901 Trinity Street in Austin. He is interred at the Texas State Cemetery, 909 Navastoa Street in Austin.
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