Aaron Joseph Mattatall

One time, he was working at clearing alders from the lot where Uncle Brian’s house was to be built when he got the wagon stuck on a tree stump. He asked/told her to go get the axe so he could get unstuck. When she came running back she slipped and fell just as he got the wagon unstuck and he ended up running over her leg. She still remembers the look of pure panic on his face when he jumped off the tractor to see if she was okay. He was sure that she had either landed on the axe or that her leg would be broken from the weight of the wagon. When he knew that everything was fine, he made sure she understood that Mom and Dad didn't need to know what had happened.

When he was thirteen he asked for gorilla for Christmas knowing full well that he was not going to receive one, but that didn’t stop him from acting disappointed when Christmas morning arrived and there was no gorilla. He continued to express his disappointment well into adulthood.

Joey was rooted in tradition and respect for elders, he instilled these values in his own family, his role as a protector inspired by his grandfather and father became the cornerstone of his identity. While he might not have uttered the words “I love you” frequently his love manifested in countless ways. Whether it was fishing trips where he taught the kids to clean the fish so that he didn’t have to, sitting with them in the hospital, or tagging them in facebook posts, he adored his kids. He had three little buddies Tucker, Coulson, and Tristan and three baby girls, Danielle, Erin, and Myiah. Erin held the title of baby girl for 24 years before Miss Myiah Elizabeth came along.

Danielle and Erin recall him taking them for drives to expose them to his “good music” like “ George Straight, Johnny cash, Conway Twitty, Lynard Skynard, and The Tragically Hip. He knew the exact length of song needed to drive from Sandpoint to Main street. In 2005, with little notice, Joey packed Danielle and Erin in the car to head to Moncton for a day full of memories seeing the Rolling stores and The Tragically Hip.

Even his kids weren't spared his wrestling moves, even the ones he made up. I think they were all tormented by the German Clucker Hold whatever that was.

Joey and Coulson shared a love of sports and spent many Saturday nights enjoying the Bear Cats games and of course stopping for Coulson’s chicken nuggets.

Joey’s love of cars was passed on to Tucker along with his interest in hunting.

Myiah remembers how her Dad always allowed her to sleep in his bed and they ate apple sauce on toast together. Her Dad took her on the lawn mower in the summertime and at Christmas time he would knock on the walls pretending to be Santa.

His littlest buddy, Tristan, said that Daddy was his favourite person, his favourite fisherman and his favourite Daddy.

His teasing was a universal language of love. Yet, behind the teasing facade was a man of immense kindness. As Joel reminisces about lobster fishing trips and the guidance Joey provided, it's evident that he was more than just a father-in-law—he was a reliable companion. It may not have started that way. When Danielle first took Joel to meet her father he was sitting on the front porch in the rocking chair with no shirt on and a gun on his lap. Danielle was so embarrassed, but Joey had a big grin on his face.

Some of Joeys best childhood memories were spent lobster fishing with his grandfather. Having six kids didn’t leave him much time to do things for himself but when Joel came into the picture it gave him a chance to get back on the water. Joey was extremely proud to become a grandfather and couldn’t wait to share his love of fishing with his pride and joy, Jenson.

Joey's unique way of showing affection through banter and nicknames extended to his nieces and nephews.

Jordan remembers when he was into hockey. His team was always the wrong one even when it was Joey’s team.

Joles said that it was hard to believe that Uncle Joey could be so terrifying yet have the biggest heart. He remembers how funny he was and all the tormenting he did. Even as an adult he never let up, just like gramp. It was his way of telling you that he loved you. When Janie would come through the door at nans, he would say “Hey you, ya wanna fight George?” He even signed her Birthday presents “Happy Birthday George”

Jarvis remembers Joey teasing him about pretty much anything whether it be girls, clothes, or his job and whether the inmates were picking on him. But once the teasing was done he always made conversation about hunting, hockey or anything Jarvis was interested in.

Uncle Joey was well known for offering knuckle sandwiches to his nieces and nephews. Ella was the only one brave enough to take him up on it. She said that he “unwillingly” let her punch him in his belly. They both favoured the same spot on Nan’s couch which lead to a battle on who would get it first, and be able to keep it. Each of them were known to sit on the remote controls to keep them from the other one. Uncle Joe watched a lot of cartoons as a result.

And who could forget his automotive prophecies? To much of Joey’s disapproval, Necia bought a Chevy a few years back. As he did when anyone bought a vehicle he said “Why did you buy that piece of junk”. He was quick to tell her that she would be picking the nuts and bolts up off the road in no time. Fast forward a few months, Erin and her were in Florida and lo and behold the entire engine fails in her car giving Joey the biggest “I told you so” moment in human history.

In the workplace, Joey's absence is deeply felt. Many colleagues have reached out to share stories about the impact he had on them. Pam Henderson worked alongside of Joey on the Mochi line and took over for him while he was off with his accident. She kept him in the loop because she knew he was passionate about his job. She said he left really big shoes to fill. That he knew his job and if he didn’t know something it wasn’t long before he would find out. He was a very smart man, quick and sharp, He was hard working, very funny and loved all his kids like crazy. He brought laughter with him along with a sassy attitude. Warren Weaver said that joey was a staple of the ice cream plant. He leaves a void that no one could ever fill. .The jokes and laughter he brought to all of us and the genuine class to the craft he did so passionately will always be felt by everyone he worked with. He also would great him in the morning saying “Weaver’ you are one handsome fella, you must be from Tatamagouche”. He always told him that we Tata boys gotta stick together.

Thomas Crowell worked with Joey for about 14 years. He said he always had a positive attitude and was even happier when he was playing tricks on people. He said you could tell Joey actually cared about the people he worked with. He will always remember his positivity with that smirk and laugh never knowing if you were about to walk into a joke or a prank. .

Working for Scotsburn/Agropur was a source of pride for Joey. He always strived to do his best which was an inspiration to those who worked with him. In addition to his commitment to the job he created an environment to share laughs, sassy remarks and the occasional comparison of belly sizes.

As we celebrate Joey’s life today, let's remember him for the laughter he brought, the love he shared, and the indelible mark he left on our hearts. May his playful spirit live on in our stories, and may we strive to continue his legacy of love wrapped in laughter.

Rest in peace, Joey. You will be dearly missed, but your jokes and warmth will echo in our memories forever.