Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

MOSSYROCK – Chief Matt Hadaller loved his fire department, loved his fire boat – the SS Hadaller – bragged about their newly “tricked out” aid car and was passionate about the fire service.

But he’d pass up a Lewis County Fire Chief’s Association meeting anytime in order to attend his child’s ball game.

“That’s the kind of father he was,” Jim Walkowski said.

Still, he was among the most active in the fire chiefs group, and spent countless hours finding ways improve his department, Walkowski said.

“Matt was one of our go-to members,” Walkowski said. “When you needed something accomplished or done, Matt was who you’d go to.”

The 47-year-old Mossyrock man who died unexpectedly earlier this week could be relied upon for many things, according to Walkowski, the chief of Riverside Fire Authority in Centralia.

“Matt always had your back when things were rough,” he said. “Matt had no problem telling you he felt; we all know this.”

Walkowski’s words were shared yesterday in front of a football stadium packed with friends, family and others who came to pay tribute to Hadaller, at a memorial service that included speakers from the state fire chiefs association, the state fire marshal’s office, the governors office and more.

Kevin Hanson, representing the Lewis County Fire Commissioner’s Association, called the loss of Hadaller immeasurable.

Pastor Wayne Nelson reminded attendees of the sacrifices firefighters make: “They train and wait, train and wait, so they can be ready.”

Matthew Morgan Hadaller III, a husband and father of four, was at home, on call, late Monday night when he suffered what the Lewis County coroner called a major cardiac event.

Mourners who didn’t already know learned yesterday – if they read the memorial folder handed out – that Hadaller grew up on a farm, became a stellar football player at Mossyrock High School and went to work for Cowlitz Stud after graduating, finishing his mill career as head sawyer.

He started at Lewis County Fire District 3 some 25 years ago, and was their first full time firefighter. He became assistant chief to the Mossyrock-area fire department in 1997, and its chief in 2002.

The afternoon service under sunny skies at Mossyrock High School’s football stadium brought fire trucks and firefighters from countless agencies.

Hadaller’s casket took center stage with dignitaries, some who knew him and some who didn’t.

Bagpipes sounded and the audience sat silent during the tolling of the firefighters’ bell, and the official last alarm broadcast from Lewis County 911 dispatch.

Fellow firefighter, and former District 3 chief, Curt Spahn described the man he knew for over 30 years as loving, proud, involved, selfless, fearless, a talker, and someone who left the department a rock solid foundation.

And a jokester, Spahn said, recalling Hadaller’s great amusement with his own pranks.

“Around Matthew, you had to keep your guard up,” Spahn said.

Spahn told of a training in which they crawled through a smoke-filled room, where each firefighter was supposed to keep one hand on the foot of the person ahead of them.

“But not Matt, he was behind me with both hands on my ankles, I had to drag Matt through,” he said.

And when they came out, Hadaller was just laughing, he said.

The chief’s latest dream was a new fire station, Spahn said.

Walkowski told the crowd that often a measure of success is how much a fire chief can do with limited resources.

Hadaller was a “grant-writing fiend” often calling for breakfast meetings at Country Cousin with Walkowski to get advice on how to bring in money for the small department; once spending an entire day at Walkowski’s house working on a grant proposal, Walkowski shared.

“As chief, he was always thinking about where he could take the department,” Walkowski said. “Sometimes we had to rein that in, cause he was way out there.”

Walkowski echoed Spahn’s sentiment that Hadaller was instrumental in growing a department that will continue to benefit from his leadership, even though his service has ended.

“Matt didn’t have a lot of resources, but if you look at what he accomplished for his department and community, it’s amazing,” Walkowski said.

Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter

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