Matt was raised on his family’s farm and educated in Galesburg, graduating from Galesburg High School in 2002. He graduated from Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois in 2006 with a BA. He went on to Carl Sandburg College Mortuary Science and graduated in May 2008. He is a member of First Christian Church (DOC) where he serves as a deacon and is involved in the youth church camp program for the region. He began working at Watson Funeral Home in July of 2007. Matt completed his apprenticeship in June 2009 and became a licensed funeral director at that time.