Matt Welles age 82 of Tonasket, died on June 13, 2023 at North Valley Hospital.

He was born in Elmira, NY on September 15, 1940 to George and Mary Welles.

Matt grew up on the family farm in New York State and joined the Marine Corp in 1958. After a visit to Cuba and Vietnam he left the Marines and attended forestry school. But the military life called him back and he became a SeaBee for the next seventeen years, during which he travelled extensively, meeting his wife Val in Greece and bringing her to America, after which they went on to many world-wide adventures.

Matt was a member of the Community Culture Center, the Barter Fair community and the Tonasket and Oroville farmers markets, the Tonasket Gun Club and the Legacy.

Matt was married to Val for 37 years, he had two daughters Sylvia and Sandie from his first marriage and five stepchildren Ricky (Michaela), Christopher (Julie), Susie, Robert (Tracy), and Martin. He had two brothers, David and Jon and his loving sister Elizabeth. There are eleven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of his life at the Tonasket Community Culture Center on Saturday, July 1, 2023.