Camille Edward 'Sonny' Matt

RONAN — Camille "Sonny" Edward Matt was reunited with his soulmate on July 18, 2006. Born to Angie and Wilford Matt on Sept. 27, 1949, he lived a full, yet short life by leaving this world at the youthful age of 56.

Sonny was raised in St. Ignatius, while attending the Urslines' boarding school. Later, the family moved to Ronan, where Sonny graduated from high school in 1967. Although his plans were to go onto school for architecture, Sonny was drafted by the U.S. government for the controversial Viet Nam War and soon was off to the U.S. Army 7th Air Cavalry to become the man he was today, by acquiring the patriotism, loyalty, and brotherhood he radiated.

After returning to the States, Sonny met the love of his life, Mary Ellen LaFromboise Matt. He worked at the sawmill in Polson, while attending classes at the Flathead Valley Community College for Forestry (which technically was SKC's first graduating class).

Later, Sonny began working for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Always a family man, he moved to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and then to Billings through the Bureau of Indian Affairs assisting many Indians from different tribes with Indian land law and land appraisals.

Sonny and Mary Ellen both retired from the BIA and began their own appraisal business. In the infancy of the appraisal business, Sonny lost his essential support in every area of his life, his wife. With his heart heavy, and with an immeasurable sense of loss, he kept going on with his business with other partners.

Sonny returned to the reservation and continued working independently, doing appraisals. During this time, he rebuilt his life and began to make new friends in the area, as well as becoming a very active member of the Mission Valley Honor Guard. Sonny was a very patriotic man, who took great pride in representing the military as a veteran.

Following a serious motor vehicle accident in 1999, Sonny shifted his focus to recovering and stopped doing appraisals. He later went to work for the Division of Lands Department, and served on the Shoreline Protection Board for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

The past few years, Sonny enjoyed hanging out with a circle of friends, most of whom were younger than himself. As the elder of the group, when "the boys" would get out of hand, Sonny would tell them, "At ease." He enjoyed spending time with his daughter and grandchildren, and especially loved it when his son Jason would come to town.

Sonny had an appreciation for guns, and had established quite a collection during his lifetime.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilford and Angelique Finley Matt, and his beloved wife Mary Ellen.

He is survived by his daughter Roian Matt (Royce) of Ronan, son Jason Matt of Billings, and daughter Juanita Swaney of Ronan; three grandchildren, Dakota Paul, Lysha Matt, and Peyton Crawford and many nieces and nephews.

While Sonny's passing will leave a void in our lives, we know that he is in a better place, and most importantly, with his soulmate.

Funeral services were held July 21at the Longhouse, followed by a full military burial at the Ronan Cemetery.