Vernon Mattie

Vernon Charles Mattie, age 95, of Thomson, IL, passed away February 11, 2025, at MercyOne Hospital in Clinton, IA. A graveside service will take place at Lower York Cemetery in Thomson, on Saturday, April 5, at 12 noon. A celebration of Vernon’s life will be held from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Manny’s in Savanna, following the graveside service. Memorials may be made to the Thomson Library.

Vernon was born January 5, 1930, in Patch Grove, WI, the youngest of four children of George and Isabell (Ward) Mattie. His older brother Sam called him “Bing” because he couldn’t pronounce “Vernon” and the nickname stuck for family and friends. Professionally he was known as “Vern”.

Bing grew up in Patch Grove and moved to Thomson in the 8th grade when his family left their Wisconsin farm and his father started work at the Savanna Army Depot. He attended York Community High School, played on the basketball team, and graduated in 1947. Bing then chose to enlist in the United States Army where he served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Vern’s twenty-two-year military career took him all over the world on combat and non-combat deployments. In Korea he made two combat jumps behind enemy lines and handled munitions and ordinance disposal within a combat engineer unit of the 11th Airborne. He was certified as a Master Parachutist. In 1954 Vern received his helicopter pilot credentials as an Army Aviator and became a non-commissioned officer, Warrant Officer 1.

He served his first combat tour in Vietnam in 1963, transporting Vietnamese soldiers and supporting operations near Da Nang and Soc Trang early in the Vietnam conflict when the U.S. Army served in an Advisory role. Vern primarily flew H-21 copters, the Workhorse/ Shawnee built by Piasecki/Boeing Vertol, and commonly called “the flying banana”.

During his military career, Vern was certified for four additional helicopters: Bell Sioux H-13, Hiller Raven H-23, Bell Iroquois UH-1A commonly called the “Huey”, Boeing Chinook CH-47. In addition to his Rotary Wing pilot capabilities, he became Fixed Wing certified in 1965, qualified to fly the Cessna Bird Dog O-1A and De Haviland Otter U-1A.

Vern served his second Vietnam tour in 1967-68, flying large Chinook CH-47 helicopters supporting daily combat missions and transport near Pleiku. He logged 4027 flight hours during his combat tour, averaging 11 hours/day, often in dangerous combat conditions.

He retired from the Army in 1969, ultimately attaining the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4. Vernon’s faithful service to his country will forever be memorialized by his Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.

On March 12, 1950, Bing married Leona Curley, his high school sweetheart. They would go on to have 4 children. Bing was a stern, strict father who sparingly showed a warm or cuddly side, but he was a pillar of responsibility, integrity, and determination. Bing’s military career took his family to many places throughout his decades of service, but he and Leona approached military life as an adventure. They may have been sad to leave but were even more excited to explore their next home. This attitude helped ease the many transitions to new schools and neighborhoods for their children. Perhaps Bing’s favorite place they lived was Alaska where he enjoyed hunting those untamed lands.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Army, Bing worked as a nutrition lab manager for Agri-King in Fulton, IL for 15 years. He attended college at night and earned a degree in Accounting. Though his Army days were behind him, he kept his drive for adventure, hunting big game in Africa and the North American West. He decorated his house with over 40 hunting trophies and frequented many local sales and auctions for antiques and collectibles. He enjoyed travelling with Leona to South America, Australia, Europe, and Africa. Bing was a talented wood worker who made everything from picture frames to dressers and loved tending his gardens. He canned food, made wine, and was an avid reader who enjoyed visiting the Thomson Library almost every week.

Keeping true to his belief in personal responsibility, Bing devoted himself over the last six years to the care of his beloved wife as she battled dementia. Leona had stood by his side and supported him for many decades (almost 75 years), and in this final chapter, it was now up to him to do the cooking and cleaning and tend to her needs, all of which he did dutifully and graciously.

Vernon C. Mattie leaves behind a legacy of patriotism, adventure, and family duty. He is survived by his wife Leona, his children Tonda Mattie and husband Dan Satorius, St. Paul, MN; Tara Mattie and husband Jim Krampert, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; Lynn Mattie and wife Tonja, Colorado Springs, CO; and Llad Mattie, Albuquerque, NM. He is survived by his grandchildren Ashley, Taylor, and Perry Satorius; Zane, Leif and Maren Krampert; Nathaniel, Evan and Brandon Mattie; Nikki Kite and Cassidi Currie. Bing is also survived by 7 great grandchildren: Oak Ellery Satorius-Cronin; Owen, Mason, and Claire Mattie; Aiden Woodbury, Greyson McAdams; Everlie Rose Currie.