Glen Earl Mattox, Jr., 78

Glen Earl Mattox, Jr., was born May 3, 1944, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, the son of Glenn and Chloe Mattox. He passed away Aug. 5, 2022, in Missoula, Mont., at the age of 78.

Glen graduated from Kellogg High School in 1962, served six years in the Army and attended North Idaho College. He worked for the phone company, then the Forest Service. He married Helen Naftzger in 1966. They later divorced, and Glen subsequently married Hanh Nguyen in 1980.

Glen said he got caught sneaking into his first gun show in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at the age of 15. He was hooked, and this became his passion for the rest of his life.

Glen loved wheelin’ & dealin’. He always claimed that he borrowed $75 to buy his first gun, which he swore he sold for $150. There are also eye-witness accounts of Glen selling a Gatling gun across the aisle for a 25% profit BEFORE he had purchased the gun from the other side of the aisle.

Glen was a long-time resident and business owner in Post Falls, Idaho, since 1974. His passion for collecting drove him to create his Antique Gun Shoppe, literally starting with nothing, and gradually building more of a museum than a shop. By dint of hard work on the Gun Show circuit, he earned national recognition as an expert in Antique Arms and Military and Native American Artifacts. He was ultimately cited by dozens of published resources in these fields.

Glen was a loyal and trusted friend, dedicated grandfather, and he never missed an opportunity to express his pride in his children. He worked tirelessly to get his daughter out of Vietnam, advocated on behalf of Amerasian children to reunite them with their families in America, and he sponsored and touched many lives in the Vietnamese community.

Glen lived life to the fullest, and he lived the life he chose. While traveling to a gun show, he “died with his boots on,” doing what he loved, and at the end he was surrounded by loved ones. He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way ... If only we could all be so lucky.

We are eternally grateful for the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. Glen received top-notch, loving care.

Glen would say that we honor him most by living the life we choose and by living and loving to the fullest. He supported charities dedicated to US Veterans as well as American Indians. St. Patrick’s House in Missoula provided housing and peace for members of Glen’s family while he was hospitalized. Please consider donating to any of these in lieu of flowers.

Glen was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Marvin Mattox and his granddaughter Chêrié Adams.

Glen is survived by his wife of 42 years, Hanh Mattox; his sister Myrna Lytle; his four children: Tonya Mattox, Trang Vo, Troy (Jacqueline) Mattox, and Trinh (Darren) Yetzer; and his 10 grandchildren: Tiffani Wiscovitch, Jesse Wiscovitch, Caleb Mattox, Jordan Mattox, Cameron Yetzer, Brandon Mattox, Jonathan Nguyen, Alexis Mattox, Maddox Yetzer and Jolina Nguyen.

Viewing will be available Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, from 2-5 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel, 1700 N. Spokane St., Post Falls, Idaho 83854. The memorial service will be Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. at the same location, followed by a reception, then a graveside service.

Visit Glen’s memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.