- Date Of Birth: March 22, 1983
- Date Of Death: April 1, 2020
- State: Idaho
Matthew was raised his entire life in Nampa, Idaho. He attended school in Nampa and graduated from Skyview High School. He attended the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls where he received an associate degree in welding.
He joined the Boy Scout program as a Tiger Cub and continued until he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. During this time, he became a member of the Order of the Arrow and also was presented with a National Award for Heroism for saving a man’s life while camping. During this time, he was mentored by many special people and developed several interests that led his paths in life. Matthew learned to sew and was active in 4-H. He earned several blue ribbons for his projects. He even made fleece hats for all in his scout troop. He shared this passion with some of friends by teaching them how to sew.
He loved skiing and was a member of the Skyview Ski Team and also was a member of their wrestling team. Matthew was involved with the Snake River Stampede in various capacities for 17 years. It has been said by the staff there that if something needed to be done, he could be relied on to complete the task without hesitation.
His family frequently camped, fished, hiked, and bicycled. As a result, he developed a passion for the out of doors. He loved to hunt and often shared his bounty of catch with his family and friends. He learned to smoke meats and created tastes that will always be remembered.
The past three years he has worked as a millwright which allowed him extensive travel all over the United States. His skills and work ethics were spoke of highly by his employers and coworkers. This afforded him an opportunity to connect with vast numbers of family members and friends during his travels.
Matthew will be remembered by his kindness and willingness to reach out to others in need. He had an infectious laugh that can never be duplicated. It brought much happiness to many. He never knew a stranger and always left a lasting memory with all of the lives he touched. His friends and family were asked to share words that come to mind about Matthew. They are as listed: thoughtful, friend, caring, always there, dependable, surprising, happy spirited, genuine, intrepid, admirable, strong willed, faithful and solid. One person said that he remembers Matthew as capable and that he strongly believed that you can do anything that you put your mind to…you just have to try.
