Matthew James McNulty

Matthew (Moose) James McNulty, 51, of Missoula passed away as the result of a heart attack on Wednesday, August 21, 2013. Moose was born on March 4, 1962 in Ridgewood, New Jersey, to Elaine Margaret Hansen and Bernard Arthur McNulty Jr. At the age of 3, Moose moved to Wheatridge, Colorado where he spent his childhood years. College took him to Fort Collins, Colorado where he got his undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts. Following his stay in Fort Collins, Moose moved to Missoula, Montana where he worked various jobs and became a regular on the Ultimate Frisbee team, The Flycoons. It was in Missoula that Moose met Joanne Marie Sutton, who would later become his wife. Moose and Joanne moved to Oregon where they pursued Master's degrees. Moose received his Masters in Teaching at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. On September 3, 1989, Joanne and Moose were married at their home in Dallas, Oregon. After living and working for a short time in Flagstaff, Arizona, Moose and Joanne moved back to Missoula where Moose eventually got a full time teaching job at CS Porter Middle School. Moose was a beloved member of the Missoula School District as a 6th grade teacher at CS Porter for 17 years and a 3rd grade teacher at Lowell Elementary for 2 years. Moose can be remembered for his quirky and spontaneous sense of humor with students, parents, and staff. He was not only a dedicated and devoted teacher during school hours, but he loved supporting his students outside of the classroom by attending band concerts and sporting events. Most recently, Moose spread his love of Disc Golf by starting Disc Golf for Kids. Moose envisioned all kids having a chance to enjoy the sport of Disc Golf as an inexpensive and fun way to get some exercise and enjoy nature. Moose is survived by his wife, Joanne Marie McNulty, sons, Sean Patrick McNulty and Kevin McNulty, mother, Elaine McNulty, and brother, Thomas Bernard McNulty. A celebration of Moose's life will be held on September 6, 2013 at 5pm at Pattee Canyon Recreation Area in Missoula. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the McNulty Education Fund through the Missoula Federal Credit Union.