Matthew Charles Strauss

Matthew Strauss passed away peacefully on Tuesday August 20. He was 91 years old and a native San Diegan. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Iris Strauss and his son Steven who is married to Lise Wilson. He is pre-deceased by his daughters Stefanie Strauss(2006) and Tamara Strauss (2022). Matt had 7 grandchildren: Brandon Alter, Grant Alter, Cameron Weiss (deceased 2023), Daniel Weiss and Alexandra Weiss, Naomi Strauss and Will Strauss.
Matt graduated with a B.A. from San Diego State and then served as an officer in the Marine Corps. He founded his real estate business MC Strauss Company 65 years ago, which has grown into a successful legacy business. Matt was Board President and a long time Trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASD) where the recently renovated and expanded world class museum contains the Strauss Galleries. Matt and Iris are passionate art collectors and have one of the top 200 contemporary art collections in the world. Matt was on the Chancellor's Council at UCSD and lead the drive to establish the Chancellor's Endowed Fund. Matt and Iris created the Stefanie Dawn Strauss Ovarian Cancer Clinic at UCSD and were the first at UCSD to fund an experimental personal cancer vaccine for their daughter,Tamara Strauss Under Matt's leadership the Strauss Family Foundation has gifted land and artworks to UCSD for an art gallery to be established on campus ("the Strauss"), as part of the Triton Center re-development.
Matt was first and foremost a family man. He was the patriarch of the family and will be deeply missed but never forgotten. He made so much possible for so many thru his tireless work and community efforts.
The funeral will be held at El Camino Memorial on Friday August 23 @ 10 a.m. Donations in Matt's memory should be made to MCASD https://mcasd.ticketapp.org/portal/product/44 and/or UCSD Health Medical Center San Diego.( https://giveto.ucsd.edu/giving/home/gift-referral/3d597c65-739d-4ee8-99aa-8ce69b6d813f )