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New Mexico Dental Journal, Fall 2015
Membership Matters
membership
Arthur Thomas Matte
1926 – 2015
Dr. Arthur Thomas Matte died early Wednesday morning, July 1, 2015, surrounded
by his children and grandchildren after battling esophageal cancer. Art was born in
Gallup, NM, on Election Day November 2, 1926 and was named after the Demo-
cratic incumbent Arthur Thomas Hannett. He grew up on the rough and tumble
streets of Gallup’s north side to Italian immigrant parents and he was slinging
newspapers at six years of age.
He served on the
U.S.S. Pensacola
as a laundryman until the war’s end, returned
to New Mexico upon discharge, and then attended Highlands University in Las
Vegas, NM. In 1950, Art married the love of his life, Edith Mae Fattor, and together
they moved to Omaha, NE, where he enrolled in Creighton University’s Dental
School. When Art graduated in 1954, he and Edye made the decision to move to
Albuquerque to make a life for themselves and their young family. He loved telling
stories of his growing up tough during the Depression, his high school triumphs,
his Navy days, in addition to his college and dental school shenanigans and exploits.
He was most proud of teaching his grandkids and great-grandkids to say “Papa” as
their first word.
Art was instrumental in getting over 50 New Mexican students into Creighton
undergrad and/or dental school. He was very proud that six of his nine children
attended Creighton. In 1990, Dr. Matte was awarded the Alumni Merit Award for
the School of Dentistry. His wife, all nine kids and their spouses traveled to Omaha
to watch him accept the prestigious honor. Some years later he initiated an endowed
scholarship for New Mexico students to attend Creighton undergrad.
Dr. Matte is survived by his nine children and their spouses. In lieu of flowers, the
family requests, if you so desire, a donation in Art’s memory to El Ranchito de los
Niños Foundation, PO Box 2400, Los Lunas, NM 87031, or to Creighton University,
Development Office, “Matte Family Endowed Scholarship”, 2500 California Plaza,
Omaha, NE 68178, or to Right to Life, 2413 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque,
NM 87112.
Dr. Arthur Thomas Matte
Obituaries