Curtiss Carl Matt

Curtiss Carl Matt died on New Year's morning at Community Medical Center in Missoula from congestive heart failure. He leaves behind a shocked and heart-broken family.

Curt was born on September 11, 1948 to Wendell "Bee" Matt and Angie Pierre Matt. He was the third son born into a horse-racing family. As a child he lived in Arlee, but because his dad was a jockey, he travelled extensively with his family to race tracks throughout the United States. He travelled many roads and visited many cities, towns and communities and made friends all along the way.

Always the mischievous one, our mom said she never knew until they were grown about all the adventures and trouble he and his brothers got into. We heard that one time he and his brother, Wendall "Corky" climbed on the rooftop of the grandstand at some fairgrounds as small children. Mom was so unnerved by the thought of two little boys in such peril, but Curt remembered the time with a twinkle in his eye.

He loved to tease. He used to rush after Mom's purse, grab it and tuck it under his arm and take off war-dancing around the house with it. Mom would be chasing him from room to room and Curt would be belly-laughing. Then we'd all be laughing.

Curt graduated from Arlee High School in 1966, during some of the most tumultuous times of the Vietnam War. Corky had been drafted already and was stationed at Dak To where the front-lined of the troops were. Every night we had to endure horrific news reports about gun fights at or near Dak To. Our family was so worried about Corky and so Curt entered the Army so that his brother could come home. He was sent to Cam Rahn Bay. He would send pictures of the beautiful beaches in the area in an attempt to make us believe he was in a good place, but we learned that his job over there was to ride on the sides of helicopters looking for the wounded and the dead. Even though a vet, Curt was anti-war, saying that if a flight was the only way, the leaders of the nations should do the fighting themselves.

Upon returning from Vietnam, Curt attended the University of Montana. One day Mom received a letter from one of his professors who said how profoundly Curt affected him. He said Curt was brilliant and wise beyond his age. Mom was so very proud of him and that letter. Curt graduated from the U of M with a teaching degree. He taught school in Idaho and during the summers he was employed by the Forest Service. Curt liked to work in the woods, so he decided to return to the U of M where he earned a degree in Forestry.

Curt was currently working at Fire Control at the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. He always threatened to retire but he just never could, or would do it. He was very sick just last summer, but went to work anyway, ready to patrol the area's mountains for fire activity. When his co-worker, Jim Morigeau, discovered how sick Curt was he drove him immediately to the nearest emergency room, of course this was against his wishes. Curt ended up in intensive care that day because he was so ill. We want to say, "Thank you Jimmy for not listening to Curt. We so appreciate that we got to keep him a few months longer!"

Curt's love of race horses continued throughout his life. He, Corky and his oldest brother Ron all own race horses. Corky trains the horses and races them at tracks in Arizona, New Mexico, and Canada while Curt cared for the mares and colts at the family ranch in Perma.

Curt was good with animals, they just trusted him. The family always had all kinds of animals. One time when Mom was at the horse auction, she scratched her nose or something, the auctioneer mistook her action as a $5.00 bid on a little Shetland pony. Since no one else bid, she ended up with a mean, unbroken pony. Curt gentled that pony right down, so much that one time he rode him into our house, in one door and out the other. Mom was so shocked she didn't even react. The family just laughed and laughed about it later.

Mom brought home a lot of horses from the auction. As 14 and 15 year olds, Curt and Corky would break those horses so Mom could resell them to support the family. Our dad had died of a massive heart attack, leaving Mom to raise five kids by on her own, but she always had help from her boys.

Curt leaves behind a son, Kaece Matt and Kaece's half-sisters, Debbie and Kelly; brothers Ron (Julie) of Albuquerque; Wendell (Deb) of Phoenix; and sister Shannon (Clifford) of Ronan; Nephews- Duane, Peter, Jean, Ira, David, Wendell Ray, Jason, Sonny Leonard, and Matthew; Nieces-Lanell, Vanessa and Lacey; Uncle Leonard Pierre and Aunts Regina Cooper and Frances Hill.

Curt was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Mary and Pete Pierre and Louis Matt and Emily Owen, his brother Ray and niece Lisa.

A private family service will be held because that is the way Curt was, private. He would want people to remember the happy times they shared with him, maybe toasting a beer in his memory. One consolation to losing him Is we know he his his beloved, departed family in his next life.

Viewing was held at Garden City Funeral Home on Saturday, January 4, 2014. Cremation has taken place under the care of Garden City Funeral Home.

Read Curtiss Matt's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.