Matthew M. Moser

Matthew M. Moser, 66, of Alexandria, VA, loved by so many as a husband, father, brother, and friend, passed away unexpectedly on May 24, 2023, due to a bicycle accident. Matt passed peacefully, surrounded by family and friends. His legacy will live on through the memories of those who loved him and through the countless laughs and lessons he brought to others. If you knew Matt, you would know that he had a huge heart filled with generosity, and he cared about others immensely-this stayed true through his final act of donating his organs to those who were in need.

Matt will be remembered for his boundless love for life. If you asked anyone what Matt loved most, Bruce Springsteen, the Mets, Jones Beach, Robert Caro, cycling, jelly doughnuts, sushi, and Pepsi (no ice) would all make the list. An exacting editor, he was as particular with his preferences as he was with his pen. But what Matt truly loved most were the moments he could spend with the ones he loved. With his contagious sense of humor, he was always laughing and joking around. Matt could always provide you with facts that you never knew you needed (and sometimes weren't sure you needed even after he provided them). As a lifelong learner, his joy at sharing knowledge was infectious-just one more measure of his constant impulse to give to those around him.

This was especially true for the time he spent with his wife, Debbie. Matt and Debbie met in Canton, Ohio, in 1978 as co-workers at the Canton Repository newspaper. Their first date was, quite fittingly, a Bruce Springsteen concert at the Richmond Coliseum in Cleveland-a sure sign that their romance was meant to be. The love they shared for each other was evident through the 46 years they were together and in how Matt brightened every time Debbie called him by her loving nickname, "Babydoll." Together, they enjoyed going to plays, taking walks, cycling, reading, and cooking each other meals. More importantly, they loved raising and spending time with their three children, Sam, Jen, and Jon. Matt was a dedicated father who did whatever it took-without concern for his time, his workload, or his sleep-to ensure opportunities for his children. He is often remembered for driving a minivan packed with kids to any sporting event or activity that he could attend. Matt enjoyed traveling and was always up for an adventure, especially if that adventure included friends and family, Bruce Springsteen concerts, or a trip to the beach. He never complained or wavered: His code, to borrow from his beloved Bruce, was always to "prove it all night."

In all these ways, Matt seemed as sturdy and reliable as an oak: He was always there to lean on for anyone who needed him. And yet there was a lightness to him; the twinkle in his eye never dimmed. Matt and Debbie would never miss a party or a celebration for friends or family, no matter how many hours on the road it entailed. If friends were there, he was just as likely to show up in Tokyo or Argentina as in Ohio or Long Island. And he would never arrive empty-handed: Matt was known for always bringing the best dish to any party-like his famous grilled shrimp pancetta, cajun pasta, or paella. He had an adventurous palate that allowed him to create his own recipes from something he had enjoyed in a restaurant and to share his meals and his love for food with others. His energy, presence, and commitment were felt anywhere that life took his free-spirited soul. In Matt's presence, no one ever felt crowded, but anyone around him was just as certain that they would never go it alone.

Matt was born on July 23, 1956, to his predeceased parents, George and Miriam Moser, in Freeport, New York. Matt attended Freeport High School and later graduated with a bachelor's degree in history and economics from the State University of New York at Binghamton (now Binghamton University). At SUNY Binghamton, Matt met lifelong friends Ronald Brownstein and Howard Schneider. The ramshackle house they shared along the Susquehanna River often seemed just one stiff breeze away from crumbling around them, but the bonds they built lasted a lifetime. As a reporter or editor for multiple publications, including the Hartford Courant and The Washington Post, Matt was an award-winning and meticulous journalist. Matt was once described by a former co-worker as that rare individual so modest he's deceiving about the wide number of his strengths.

Matt is survived by spouse, Deborah Moser (Alexandria, VA); children Samuel Moser (West Hartford, CT), Jennifer Moser and fiancée Megan Tingwald (Charlotte, NC), and Jonathan Moser (Boston, MA); and siblings Michael Moser and spouse Meg Moser (White House Station, NJ), Maggie DeBonis and spouse Bobby DeBonis Sr. (Wantagh, NY), Gregory Moser and spouse Irene Moser (Mount Sinai, NY), and Melissa Moser (Wantagh, NY). He will be missed by lifelong friends Ronald Brownstein and spouse Eileen McMenamin (Venice, CA), predeceased by Howard Schneider (Boxford, MA), and countless other family members, friends, and co-workers he met along his journey through life.

Services will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 12:30 p.m., at Hungerford & Clark Funeral Home, 110 Pine St., Freeport, NY 11520. The family respectfully requests that donations in Matt's memory be made to World Central Kitchen (WCK), https://wck.org. Matt regularly supported WCK's efforts, and the organization's work was a cause dear to him that is consistent with his love for food and for providing meals for people who need them most.

Matt will be missed by many and there will forever be a void in the heart of everyone who knew this remarkable man. What Matt wrote regarding his dear friend, Howie Schneider, when Howie passed away holds true for himself: "But we know that so long as all of those whose lives he touched carry him in our hearts, then he will remain here with us, too. We'll never be apart."