Matthew Jon Kimmel

Matthew “Matt” Jon Kimmel died Friday morning in Republic, MO, in a car crash on his way to work. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on January 2, 1964 to Marlene & Gerald Kimmel. The tail end of five children and an ornery little cuss from the start, the native of Indiana never enjoyed staying anywhere too long, calling over a dozen states his home in his nearly 62 years of life. A veteran of the US Air Force Reserves, a lover of US National Parks, and one of the hardest-working men his family had ever met: duty, responsibility, and reverence were the key tenets of his life. Matt saw his family through trials, tragedies, illnesses & job loss and always made sure everyone was taken care of in whatever way he could. He is mourned by his family, including his wife, Michelle of 38 years to the day, way to celebrate your anniversary Matt, and his two children, Zachary (Hannah) Kimmel (37) & Alexandra (Jacob) Gonzales (35), and his number one favorite person in the world, his only grandbaby, Eden Gonzales (10). He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Marlene & Gerald, his sister Jody, & his best furry friend Winnie. We will be at a loss without his guidance and support. In his memory, enjoy a beautiful mountain range, marvel at a rolling prairie, listen to the ripple of a river. And we, his family, will know it’s him whenever we see a flying bald eagle or hawk, or we mistake an absolutely normal-looking person for a celebrity. Love you Papa.

Ash spreading ceremonies will be determined at a later date. As many of you know, Matt was the sole provider for his wife and daughter's families as they battled illness and disability: in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to their family as they navigate their new reality.

https://gofund.me/80a03d918