August 21, 1953 – March 30, 2022
Saddened to say our brother Matthew passed away. His health had been deteriorating during the last few years. He was a brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. A generous man who helped others without hesitation. A man of few words but a heart of gold. He was known as being a hard worker. A bit of a jack-of-all-trades. He moved back to Hudson from out West to help our parents as they aged. Norfolk Farms has changed over the years and an era on the farm ends.
We appreciate all who watched over Matthew during the last few years, especially his friends, the Mount Victoria neighbourhood, plus the medical staff at the Jewish General hospital and particularly the dedicated NOVA and CLSC nurses. We thank you all! He lived life without pretense and will remain forever in our hearts…
Please join Louise Van Baal, Geri Philp, Mary Van Baal and families for a celebration of life on May 14th, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the Hudson Legion.
15 Comments
Our “Mayor of Mount Victoria” has left us but not without leaving his mark on our lives. Matthew lived by his own rules, foremost of which was helping others whenever and in whatever way he could. Doling out small gifts on random occasions gave him great pleasure and he was generous to a fault. Ask him to do something, he was there immediately, often providing a special tool the person didn’t know they needed in order to complete the job. Matthew left a lasting impression on all who met him even if they only knew him as the guy who walked barefoot on Hudson’s streets from March to November! We will miss our lifelong friend. The Mount Victoria community will not be the same without Matthew, our last connection to the Macaulay/Norfolk farm. Rest in peace, Matt.
So nice to read your perspective from the Mount Victoria neighbourhood. Your kind words are much appreciated, Mary & Wayne.
Matthew was unique and that’s what made him special. We hit it off immediatly on Halloween 1995 when we met for the first time and he saw the crazy way I had decorated my garage and lawn. He laughed with his heart (I can still hear his laugh !) He would show up in the winter and plow my driveway and simply turned around after it was done. He would also cut one single track of grass with his tractor and took off 🙂 I had to finish the job because it showed ! We were both laughing…He came up with a 25 feet plastic pipe when I had “Lake Macaulay” on my side lot due to a frozen sewer underground pipe. He would stop by for a visit and we’d start the BBQ and sit down to some steaks close to a small fire pit on wheels ! (Made from an old oil thank that he gave to me !) . The good times and souvenirs just keep coming in…. I consider myself lucky to have been his friend. Rest in peace Matthew. Pet Tigger for me !
Matthew was an icon of Hudson. He left his mark as a kind and hard working man.
Also known as The Mountain Man. We all miss dearly.
RIP Matthew…
We had the pleasure of having Matthew as our neighbour for 20+ years on Mt Victoria. When we first arrived and the big red barn was still standing , our young daughters were forever wanting a peak inside , Matthew was always happy to indulge there curiosity and allow them inside to see the donkey that still lived in the barn at that time He was a kind soul with a big heart . Always willing to lend a hand . Our condolences to his family. RIP Matthew
I will never forget Matthew coming to the back of our yard at Mullans, and sharing his gardening knowledge with me. It was many years ago, and I was quick to understand there was a lot more to Matthew than just his gentle quiet soul. Never a ride home with out a stop at the IGA for food for his cat, and a couple of chocolate bars for Ron and Me. Who doesn’t love caramilk??? He would say as he tossed it over the seat to me. We will miss him. He defined Hudson for me, and accepted this Albertan with an open heart. RIP . You will not be forgotten.
It was my pleasure to work on a pond garden with Mathew where he proudly moved rocks around the yard with great strength and a quiet beaming smile. He enjoyed working and helping all his neighbours and was a creative thinker with lots of knowledge of the land. RIP Mathew.
It was a rare occasion indeed if Pierrette didn’t hear the kitchen door opening at 6 am and see Matthew standing there. He’d be offered a seat and a coffee. They’d sit at the table and plan out their day. Perhaps a new flower bed or repairing a stone wall or watering the new cedars, all in exchange for a few dollars for cigarettes and cat food. The laughter was loud and particularly after the passing of our father, Pierrette appreciated the companionship, the gossip from the village and the sharing of a nice cold beer together on a hot summer day.
Mathew walked barefoot everywhere in the summer months (in my father’s slippers during colder days), a gift of flowers in hand (freshly picked from Angie’s or Pierrette’s or Sonya’s garden). We’d hear the Kubota and know he was going somewhere to do something for somebody for a little money or more frequently because someone simply asked him nicely. He’d put your trash bins away unasked, bug you for a can of beer and sometimes go roaming with our lawn tractor up to St Lazare to visit friends.
He’d smile thru his beard and you’d hear his laugh and feel his warmth. He always spoke deliberately and with a gentle wisdom that we truly admired and respected. He loved dogs and cats and when it was time for them to be buried, it was Mathew who did the task, all the while sharing our family’s tears. It is our turn to share your tears. We will truly miss him and we will never forget him. The Murphy’s
The street won’t be the same, although the familiar rumble of Matthew’s Kubota coming down the road was sadly missing over the last year, Matthew was a godsend for us, he helped us rebuild the old blue house, and was able to provide so much history of the property – including where not to dig because theres’s a pipe buried (and other things we won’t mention!). He was generous to a fault – with his time and labour. We were so lucky to have gotten to know him these past 4 years. We will miss him for sure. Cathryn & Steven Mayhew
We were privileged to know Matthew as he helped us understand the history of the neighbourhood and he helped us settle here in the 1990’s. As everyone has said, he was generous and he didn’t mind hard physical work at least until his health started to fail. He was like an Icon representing this area and it will be very different without him. We will miss him.
I was so sad to hear of Matthew’s passing, unfortunately too late to attend his celebration of life. Unfortunately I did not see much of Matthew in the last few years due to my mother’s increasing care needs. Matthew was such a great and caring friend. We spent a lot of time together in the gardens, he was such a hard and fast worker. I will never forget Lynn Gale telling me to keep an eye on Matt because he does his assigned jobs so quickly if you are not careful you will find him in the neighbours yard as he just keeps going….
After I got divorced, Matthew would keep a close eye on the property and check on me frequently to make sure I was okay. I used to call him my security guard. Every once in awhile my lawn would mysteriously get mowed as a special surprise. He was so kind to my dogs and you could tell he genuinely loved them. We especially had fun during my quite several garage sales, and was often there at the end of the day to help me put things away and share a few beers (with lots of ice). I would sometimes bring him soup, which he loved and was so grateful. He would tell me that I made it as good as his mother and get misty eyed. He had a great sense of humour, one day we were running errands in the village hardware store and in his booming voice declared “I’m dirty and my wife is dirty too!” “Wooden shoes, wooden head, wooden listen”. I will always remember him and will always miss him. My sincerest condolences to the family.
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