Matthew T. Birmingham

1948 - 2026

Matthew T. Birmingham

West Windsor, VT - Matthew T. Birmingham, III of West Windsor, VT, died Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, NH following complications from a serious illness. A beloved husband, father, brother, neighbor and friend, he was 77.

Matt was born September 12, 1948, in New Haven, CT, son of Matthew and Jane (Gaillard) Birmingham. The oldest of four children and affectionately known as Spike, he graduated from The Taft School in Watertown, CT, in 1966. He studied for one year at Haileybury and Imperial Service College in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England, before completing his undergraduate degree at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, in 1971, where he was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. He played varsity hockey for four years and was captain of the lacrosse team. It was at Trinity that he made many friendships that would last a lifetime. Matt earned his Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School in 1974.

As a law student in Boston, Matt met the love of his life Lynne Trageser. They married in Chapel Hill, NC, in 1974, and recently celebrated 50 years together. In 1976 they bought and slowly remodeled an old house that was a part of the original settlement of West Windsor, where they happily remained ever since. The family has been blessed for over 50 years by the love and care of their Sheddsville neighbors and many friends in the area.

Matt's professional career began with Glover & Fink Law in Ludlow, VT. Over the decades that followed he established Birmingham & Moore Law and then Birmingham Law, creating deep roots in central Vermont. He was a member of the Vermont Bar Association, the Windsor County Bar Association, the Vermont Association for Justice (VTAJ), and the Inns of Court. His colleagues describe him as driven by genuine and deep-seated empathy for those less fortunate in society, often delivering turkeys on Thanksgiving or raising money for the Cavendish Family Fund. He gave of himself countless hours and efforts to lighten the suffering of many, all without fanfare or self-promotion.

He was the West Windsor Town Moderator for thirty-four years devoting himself to serving the town, leading with grace and good-natured humor. His deep commitment to the community earned respect and admiration for all that knew him. Matt taught criminal justice at the College of St. Joseph in Rutland and served as a trustee of the Mary L. Blood Memorial Library in Brownsville, fulfilling his love of books and history. He coached lacrosse at Woodstock Union High School, soccer at the Albert Bridge School in Brownsville, hockey in the Twin Valley Hockey League and acted as a mentor with Windsor County Partners, impacting the lives of so many youth in the area.

Matt was an avid outdoorsman who loved sailing during college summer breaks in Christmas Cove Maine, skiing at Mt. Ascutney and Okemo, and hiking the mountains of New England. On his 60th birthday he completed a hike of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. At home, he was happiest in his garden tending tomatoes, or at his family's farm in Cavendish, VT. He had a love for his dogs, Bruins hockey, books by the fire and above all his children and grandchildren. The four-legged members of the family will miss Grandfather Biscuit, as he always had a pocket full of treats, no matter where he was.

He is survived by his wife, Lynne; son, Matthew (Melissa) of South Burlington, VT; son, Tim (Kati) of Jericho, VT; and daughter, Sarah Wannop (Robert) of Charlotte, VT. He took great joy in seeing his children become the adults they are today. He loved his eight grandchildren, Liam, Grace, Molly, Ben, Avery, Will, Alex, and Nathan. He is also survived by his brother, James (Lisa) Birmingham of Stowe, VT; sister, Bonnie (Clark) Cretti of Carbondale, CO, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Peter.

A celebration of Matt's life will be held at Ascutney Outdoor Center on May 31st from 1-3pm. Knight Funeral Home in Windsor has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed in the online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mary L. Blood Memorial Library, Town of West Windsor, Box 6, Brownsville, VT 05037 and Ascutney Outdoors, Box 101, Brownsville, VT 05037