Tammy Matt
courtesy photo
Tammy Matt
ST. IGNATIUS — Tammy Marie Matt passed away on Sept. 19, 2018, in Kalispell Regional Medical Center. She was born in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 31, 1959, to Del Mathis and Greta Dunsmore.
Tammy was blessed to have a stepdad who cared and raised her after Greta married Earl Dunsmore.
Tammy graduated from Cle Elum High School in Washington, in 1978. She enrolled in Columbia Basin Community College in the Tri-Cities, Washington, where her stepdad worked for Norm Charette, who with his brother Babe also had a sheet metal plant across from the 44 Bar. On Tammy’s first trip to the Mission Valley, as she came over the top of Ravalli Hill and saw the mountains, she thought, “One day I’m going to move here and marry a cowboy,” as in those days she was a barrel racer. Well, as she was half-right. Tammy and Fred were a product of a blind date set up by Norm’s wife Teddy and the rest is history.
Tammy and Fred were married in May of 1981 in the St. Ignatius Catholic Church and that is when she got her first degree in domestic engineering. After having a huge part in raising seven daughters and many foster kids, foreign exchange students and grandchildren, she earned her Ph.D.
Tammy had such a beautiful, loving spirit and no matter if you just met her or you knew her all her life, she made you feel special.
Due to many circumstances, this notice is late. Her rosary was at the Longhouse in St. Ignatius on Sept. 23, and her funeral Mass was at the Catholic Church on Monday, Sept. 24.
One of those special friends wanted me to put this message in this notice as well … This is what I wrote to her while sitting at a rest area on my way to Denver. I called St. Charo Floral back then and had them deliver a dozen red roses with this message from the Seventh Book of Fred, chapter 24, verse 365: God said, “I will send you an Angel who will be with you and love you unconditionally, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. And, you will call her your wife, Tammy.” Love ya’ Honey, my Angel.
Fred
