Mr. John Jay Viall, and known as Jay, to all family and friends far and wide, passed away on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the Missouri River Manor in Great Falls, Montana due to lung cancer, which was discovered in late February 2016.

Jay was born May 28, 1970 to Claudia & Dave Viall in Havre, Montana. As a youngster Jay spent a lot of time with his grandparents, Lovella & Frank Earl (deceased). Jay grew up in Havre, Montana graduated from Havre High, and later went on to obtain his Master's in Computer Science from the University of Great Falls, and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Jay served in the US Army from 1989 and was honorably discharged in 1993. While in the military, he was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia and later stationed to Schwiengfurt, Germany. He participated in Desert Storm in Iraq. Jay received the Army Service ribbon, National Defense Service medal, Army lapel button, Overseas Service Ribbon, Marksman badge (Rifle and grenade), Southwest Asian Service Medal with a Bronze Service Star, and a Kuwait Liberation Medal. In 1992, he met Shelley Big Knife and was married to Shelley on November 25, 1994. Together, they made their home in Havre, Montana.

Jay was a social person and held many positions in the Rocky Boy community. He was a tutor for Rocky Boy Schools, worked for Stone Child College in the Math & Science program, served as the Director of Rocky Boy Head Start, and then obtained a position as a Police Officer for the Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement. He successfully completed the Land Management Police Training Program at the US Department of Homeland Security at the Federal Law Enforcement Center in February 2011, in Artesia, New Mexico. Jay served 4 years with the Chippewa Cree police force, leaving employment with them in 2012. Jay also served as a consultant with the Small Business program at the Fort Belknap College. Up until his illness, he worked from home for the Centrix Company. Out of the positions he worked, he most enjoyed working for the children at the Rocky Boy Head Start and being a Police Officer for the Rocky Boy Community. He loved helping people, especially children and the elderly. Jay would surprise many of the older Natives by greeting them in Cree and being able to hold conversations with them in their native tongue. He respected the Cree culture and took the time to learn the ways of the Cree people. While working for the Fort Belknap community, Jay received an Indian name from Joe Ironman, which he was especially proud of- Strong Man, which he was!

When not at work, Jay spent his time with Shelley and the many nephews, nieces and grandchildren camping, fishing, and attending rodeos. Jay followed his favorite football team the Dallas Cowboys, and later on, enjoyed online gaming. He was an avid reader, avid poker player and served on Havre's Winter Pool league for several years. Jay kept in contact with his good friend Carl Godwin, who recently visited him in the hospital, traveling from Denver, Colorado. He also stayed in touch with Todd Bracket and JD Marghume and many others from time spent in the military and doing online gaming. Every spring, he would be one of the first to help out with Branding at the Big Knife ranch. With Jay's size, he would easily flop and hold down calves for branding, doctoring, and cutting. His father-in-law would give him a call to come help when it was time to do the same with the horses.

Jay and Shelley opened their home to nieces and grandchildren, allowing them to stay with them whenever they wanted. He especially loved Shawna, Gus, Jace, and Jade. He was a wonderful uncle and grandpa to all the children in the family, and a hell of a great disciplinarian. You could hardly ever see the couple without a child or dog with them. Jay and Shelley loved dogs and had several well-trained dogs throughout his life.

Cremation will take place. A memorial service will be scheduled and held at a later date, with the information to be posted on the Holland & Bonine website. Any memorials can be made, in his honor, to the Gift of Life Family Housing Center, PO Box 7008, Great Falls, MT 59406.