Erma Sophie Matt

| May 25, 2011 10:26 AM

Erma Sophie Matt, 84, of Big Arm passed away at her home on Monday, May 16.

She was born on May 30, 1926 in Polson to Mary Finley and Art Marengo. At age three, she was adopted by Cecille Stasso and Phillip Kallowat and was raised in Dayton. She attended schools in Elmo, the Ursuline Academy in St. Ignatius, Thompson Falls, and graduated from Polson High School in 1945.

In July of 1946, Sophie married Joseph Matt of St. Ignatius and together they had four children: Randall, Barbara, Dean, and Rik. Sophie was a stay at home mom until her husband, Joe, was hurt and then retired in 1975.

She then went to work at the Kalispell Library and the Kootenai Tribe of Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, where she translated documents from Kootenai to English or vice versa. She was also a history book writer for the Kootenai Culture Committee for 10 years and also worked for 13 years for the CSKT Elderly Program and many years as a Kootenai language instructor for the Salish Kootenai College, where in 2009, she received an honorary degree.

Sophie was an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and a fluent speaker of the Kootenai language. She loved to bead, knit, crochet, play stick games, cards, Bingo, Keno, and traveling.

She is preceded in death by both sets of parents, her husband Joe, her sons, Randall, Dean, and Rik; daughter, Barbara Matt Clark; James Kallowat; brothers, Howard Kallowat Sr., and Howdy Saloway, and many aunts and uncles.

Sophie is survived by her grandson, Robert Clark of Kalispell; a sister, Ruby Finley of Wellpinit, Wash.; aunts Mary Stasso and Louise Stasso, both of Arlee, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

Wake services will began on Wednesday, May 18 at the Elmo Hall with a vigil service at 8 p.m. Funeral mass followed on Thursday, May 19. Burial was in Dayton Cemetery.

Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory in Polson considers it a privilege to care for Mrs. Matt’s family.