Matt Gary Joseph Blanchette, 63, of Mountain Grove, passed from this life on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020 surrounded by close family and friends.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15 after 1 p.m. at his residence. The spreading of ashes will follow soon after.
Matt was born Feb. 24, 1957 in Kankakee, Ill. to Maurice and Myrna (Gates) Blanchette, where he spent the majority of his childhood. The family moved to Norwood, where he graduated from Norwood High School in 1975. He joined the U.S. Navy after graduation, where he served from 1976 to 1980 at the Little Creek Joint Expeditionary Base in Norfolk, Va. and aboard the USS Plymouth Rock. On May 27, he married his former partner Deborah Dodds (Gilley) in 1978 and had one son, Levi, currently of Westminster, Colo. The family moved back to Mountain Grove in 1980, where Matt began working with the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station. After separating from Deborah in 1986, he remarried Retha West in 1990. Together, they raised two daughters, Erica (Craig) Ballinger, currently of Rolla, and Sarah Craig, of Springfield. He enjoyed all aspects of the outdoors, but none more so than being atop one of his many motorcycles over the years. Matt could often be found riding to bike shows, finding a peaceful spot to camp along the water and spending time with his children and grandchildren whenever he could. After separating from Retha in 2010, he had lovingly been in a long term (common law marriage) relationship with Libby Huckabey in Mountain Grove, where they had spent their golden years together close to her two children, Michael and Samantha Fairchild.
Matt is survived by his son, Levi; two daughters, Erica and Sarah; two brothers, Mark /MaryLou Blanchette, of St. Anne, Ill., and Merl Blanchette, of Chebanse, Ill.; three sisters, Myra/Jeff Emme, of Chebanse, Ill.; Mary/Dennis Antosz, of Limestone, Ill.; and Mina /Jim Menz, of Perryville; his step-mother, Helen Blanchette, of Bourbonnais, Ill.; his nine grandchildren (six boys and three girls); and a plethora of nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members who will all miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Myrna; twin sisters, Beverly and Barb Blanchette; and one grandson, Destyn Yarger.
