Matt was born at home on Ruby Drive in Lakeport on July 18, 1978. He was a graduate of Clear Lake High School class of 1997. During his years at Clear Lake High School he was a member both of the Sheriff's Department Explorers and the Lakeport Fire Department Explorers. For a while during his senior year he was torn between becoming a policeman or a fireman. When he was 8 he wanted to follow in his big brother Mike Jones footsteps and become a fireman. Mike is a Captain with the Santa Rosa Fire Department. He idolized his big brother and wanted to be just like him. He became a volunteer fireman at Lakeport in 1998. After High School he took classes at Mendicino College and had decided to attend the Fire Academy in the fall of 1999. His dream to become a real career fireman (he was a volunteer) was not realized when his life was cut short on the 23rd of June in 1999 just a few days before his 21st birthday. He died doing what he wanted to do.

He loved sports and played a lot of them. He played soccer, football, basketball, wrestling and ice hockey. He played hockey for the Belmont Rangers and played in the National Championships in 1994. His was passionate about car racing, water sports -he loved his jet ski and boating. He loved western music and dancing. He had a Russian Blue cat named Eishia he got for his 10th birthday and a Queensland Blue Heeler Dog he bought his last year in High School. WE kept both of his pets until they passed away in 2005.

Matt was a wonderful son we were very proud of him. Matt was a very loveable funny loving person. He could make everyone laugh. He was voted class clown in his senior year. He was warm and sensitive and very easy to get to know. He always had a lot of friends. He is missed very much by his family and friends.

Matt died in the line of duty with the Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department on June 23, 1999 just a few days short of his 21st birthday that he planned to spend in Hawaii with some of his best friends since early childhood.

My husband and I have devoted our selves to working for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Matthew's honor. It is a non-profit National organization that has helped us and so many others to cope with a line of duty death.

There is a Scholarship fund at the Lakeport Fire Department in Matt's memory. It is given each year to a student from Clear Lake High School who wants to have a career in Public Service.

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