Matt Winthrop died March 17 at the age of 34 years after a 15-month battle with esophageal cancer. We got to know the Winthrops shortly after we moved to Portland from St. Paul in 1973. We both lived in apartments across Barnes Road from St. Vincent Hospital. Their older son, Kevin, is the same age as our older son, Andy, and Matt was just a month older than our younger son, Pete. The Winthrops (Loring, Margaret, Kevin, Amy, Matt), the Johnsons (Jan, Jim, Jimmy, Jeff), and the Muilenburgs spent many a Thanksgiving dinner together. Kevin, Jimmy, and Andy were the same age, as were Matt, Pete, and Jeff. Poor Amy was the odd one (i.e., the only girl) left out. We stopped getting together on Thanksgiving when the kids got older, but Margaret, Jan, and Marge kept in touch throughout the years.
Matt was a remarkable young man, courageous, caring, considerate and compassionate. It makes me cry when I think about Matt and his wife Aryn sending flowers to me when I was in the hospital after my craniotomy.
The Winthrops had a celebration of life service for Matt on March 20 at the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, a place Matt loved and a place of great solace to their family.
Rest in peace, Matt.
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1 comment:
It truly is so sad. I never met him, but his story breaks my heart. I hope he is in a better place.
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