Matthew LaVar Williams
March 25, 1992 – June 25, 2022
Matthew LaVar Williams, age 30, passed away on June 25, 2022, surrounded by his loving family. He valiantly and courageously battled the ramifications of cancer for 20 years.
He was born to Mike and Tami Williams on March 25, 1992, in Logan, Utah. He was the youngest of five children. He was born one week after the passing of his grandfather and namesake, Melvin LaVar Christoffersen. He came 18 months after his brother, Michael. They were inseparable and shared their own special language. They loved to play with their toy farm animals and would spend hours setting up corrals. He was adored by his three older sisters and they loved to take care of him and snuggle with their baby brother.
Matt attended school in Malad, Idaho. He excelled in elementary school. He was extremely bright, social, and athletic. He enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, football and wrestling. Matt was very driven and exceptionally determined.
At the young age of ten, the course of his life took a drastic turn as he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He underwent two brain surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. This brutal course of treatment, necessary to preserve his life, left him unable to excel in those things that once came easily to him. It was heartbreaking to watch him struggle in this way. However, his limitations never disrupted his determination to forge his way on this altered path.
He had the opportunity to attend summer cancer camps. These were tender and sobering experiences for Matt. It was at Camp Rainbow Gold, where his parents discovered that he was now going by LaVar. He is still Matt to all of his family, but it sure makes us smile when we visit with his countless friends and acquaintances that refer to him as LaVar.
Matt was given the gift of Make-A-Wish. He studied his options thoroughly and thoughtfully and he determined that he wanted to do something that involved the entire family. He chose to go on a cruise. This trip allowed us to create memories that we will laugh and cry about forever.
Matt was an Eagle Scout and honorably served in the Washington Everett Mission. He loved the people there and served to the best of his ability.
Upon returning, he continued his education at Brigham Young University Idaho. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science. This was a major accomplishment for Matt. College was extremely difficult for him as a result of the brain trauma he experienced during cancer treatments as a child. He was blessed with an amazing counselor who helped him find the tools he needed to be successful and accomplish his goal of receiving a degree.
Matt returned home to Malad often to spend time with his dad and brother at Dogpatch. They loved taking care of animals and working on countless projects. His ultimate project was to restore the old barn. He worked tirelessly on this for many years and found much joy and satisfaction in this labor.
Matt was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. He had a love for the temple and when possible attended the temple weekly. He was a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. He lived a life serving those he loved. Everywhere we look we see evidence of those things Matt did to serve and love us.
Matt was a very organized person and everything was always in its place. He loved to build, create and repurpose. He built beautiful furniture pieces out of pallet wood. He loved country music and would sing along at the top of his lungs. One of his very favorite things to do was to play games with grandma and grandpa. He loved to eat and would spend a significant amount of time creating a masterpiece with his food in order to savor every last bite. These bites almost always included a significant amount of butter and onions. He loved Mountain Dew, Crystal Light and orange Trident Gum.
Matt had some classic sayings with Matt-specific inflections. A few of our favorites were: My bad, How are you doing, Don’t worry – be happy, I’m good, Just sayin, Button it, I love ya, Come what may and love it, It’s all good, Don’t worry mom, Whatever you do – don’t tell my mom.
You would rarely see Matt without his signature Matt accessories. This included his fully equipped toolbelt, wild rags, cowboy hats and boots, with mismatched socks. It would appear that he had a tobacco problem as his Wrangler pockets were typically filled with tobacco chew cans containing various nuts, bolts or fittings.
He had a vast collection of ropes. He enjoyed spending time working on his roping skills and this was a favorite date activity for him. He loved spending his weekends working the sorting corrals at the bull wars and rodeos.
He was uninhibited and authentic. Matt was Matt no matter where he was or who he was with. He made friends wherever he went and we seem to constantly run into someone that knows LaVar. A common phrase we hear is “We just love that kid.”
Matt lived with nearly constant pain and discomfort as his health struggles continued throughout his life. We never once heard him complain. It was never about Matt. He was always concerned about everyone else. As the healthcare workers would attend to Matt, he would tell them not to waste their time with him, rather they should help someone else that was in pain. He was an eternal optimist.
Matt had an extremely strong desire to find a job to support a family, live independently and get married. Matt wasn’t able to get married in this life, but it wasn’t on account of him not giving it his very best effort. Anyone that knows Matt, could attest to this fact. He was not opposed to reaching out to those he knew (and sometimes didn’t know) to ask if they had a sister, friend, daughter, granddaughter or wife that they wanted to set him up with. We are most certain that this still remains a top priority for him.
He had a really strong desire to be able to provide for himself and a potential wife and family. He worked diligently for years to overcome obstacles that made this seem like an impossibility. However, he was determined to stay the course. In 2020, Matt felt strongly impressed to move to Logan, Utah. These impressions led him to a job opening with the Hyde Park City Crew. He received his CDL and loved working machinery and serving the people of Hyde Park. He loved his job and more than that he loved the people he worked with. We knew them by name and will forever be indebted to them for the priceless gift that they gave LaVar. This job and the people who helped facilitate it, provided him with 15 months of a sense of fulfillment he had never experienced before. He was able to live independently. It afforded him the opportunity to buy a truck – which had been a lifelong dream of his. He was so proud of his truck and although he only had it for a few short months, he had already added numerous Matt-style upgrades
Of all the hats that Matt wore, his very favorite was that of uncle. He adored his nieces and nephews and they loved and adored him. He would have done anything for them. He would spoil them with treats, gum, doughnuts and pretty much whatever they asked him for. He was always on the floor playing with them. He looked forward to Sunday afternoon basketball games followed by French toast. As he courageously battled near the end of his life, he fought just a little longer to ensure his nieces and nephews could make it to say goodbye.
He revered his father and loved to spend time with him working on various projects at the ranch and with the animals. He was his right hand man. His father taught him how to love and serve.
He loved and adored his mother. She courageously and valiantly fought each battle with him and worked tirelessly to take on and lift as much of the burden as she could. She was his hero.
His family was everything to him. We each had the opportunity to sit at his bedside and care for him in small, but emotionally significant ways. We got to laugh, cry, sing, dance and reminisce with Matt and each other. That time was sacred for each of us.
Matt is survived by his parents, Michael and Tamara Williams of Malad, Idaho; His four siblings, Tara (Ariel) Toraya of Riverton, Utah, Trisha (Zachary) Beutler of Malad, Idaho, Tazya Williams of Riverton, Utah, Michael (Kylee) Williams of Preston, Idaho; his grandmother, Klea Mae Christoffersen Brown; his step-grandfather, Warren Brown; four nieces and seven nephews; aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Melvin LaVar Christoffersen and Sharrell Williams; grandmother, Edna Williams.
Matt bore an undeniable testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and of eternal families. We know and rejoice in the fact that Matt has returned to that very God who gave him life and with a perfected body he can now rest from the physical ailments that plagued him. We find peace and comfort in knowing that he was welcomed by a host of family in a joyous reunion. We know that he will continue to be involved in the details of our lives. And we will seek comfort from the Savior of whom he bore solemn witness.
Matt, we love you and will honor your life and legacy by cherishing each moment as we strive to “Come what may and Love it”.
His final words to his nephews were: “Why are you crying? Don’t be sad. You know about the Plan of Salvation. Just be good, choose the right and be happy. I love you.”
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 12:00 noon at the Malad Idaho Stake Center. Viewing will be held at the Malad Idaho Stake Center on Friday, July 1, 2022 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm and on Saturday, July 2, 2022 from 10:30 – 11:30 am prior to the service.
Malad Idaho Stake Center
1250 N 1100 W. Malad, Idaho
(Please enter south doors)
Burial will be at the
Malad City Cemetery