It is with the utmost pain and sadness that we, the family of Matt, tell you of his death on September 14, 2023. Matt died of natural causes at his, and his beloved wife’s home in Pittston, Maine.
Matt was born in Boston on May 8, 1981, but after 2 days at the hospital, he was raring to get back to his true home, Cape Cod. Matt spent most of his life on the Cape. He loved going to Skaket Beach with his father, Scott, and his mother, Alexis Barron. As a teenager Matt wanted more excitement, spending time with friends on Nauset Outer Beach. He attended the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School and Nauset Regional High School, where he met the love of his life, Rebecca Jastrzebski. In 2011, Matt and Rebecca married, and lived the next 9 years in Harwich. Together they opened Nauset Grill on Main St., Orleans. They operated the highly popular restaurant until 2020 when the Covid pandemic caused them to reassess their life and future goals.
In 2020, Matt and Rebecca moved to Pittston, Maine, where they bought a home with a large tract of land. They planned to utilize the land for recreational activities opened to the public. With this goal in mind, Matt, Rebecca, and Matt’s sister, Anna, worked tirelessly, recovering abandoned trails that meandered throughout the woods and ponds on the property. They cleared years of undergrowth to revive an apple orchard, reclaimed raspberry patches, and planted blueberry bushes. In the mornings and evenings, Matt and Rebecca watched deer, turkeys, foxes, and the occasional groundhog parade across the front acreage of their home.
Matt also became somewhat of an expert at creating wonderful fireworks displays for whenever family or friends were visiting. His fireworks shows rivaled professional ones and caused Matt to consider getting his certification in that industry in the future. True to Matt and Rebecca’s love of family and friends, just having someone visit prompted a fireworks display. Many of us sat on their front porch, gazing out at the night sky, waiting for the first rocket to launch. We all knew it was going to be a great show!
Matt loved his family very much. Matt and his father, Scott, were very close all of his life. From an early age, Matt would go grocery shopping with his Dad. Matt loved to tell stories about these shopping expeditions where he learned the skills of planning meals and looking for items on sale, habits that stayed with him as an adult. He took an active interest in his siblings’ lives. His brother, Alex, and sister, Anna, could always count on a phone call or text from Matt, who provided a listening ear, great advice, and comfort. His relationship with his father-in-law, Joe, was very special. Joe and Maureen also moved to Maine in 2020, and Joe described Matt as “my best friend.”
In remembering Matt, we all recall precious moments: Thanksgiving at Matt and Rebecca’s was the holiday where Matt’s culinary skills and talents shone. While Rebecca prepared divine desserts, Matt focused on cooking a sublimely tender and juicy turkey. Contributions from Pat, Matt’s step-mother, and Maureen, Rebecca’s mother, rounded out the meal. On explorations of Maine with Rebecca, Maureen and Joe, Matt would protest jokingly of having to go on “forced marches” through Acadia and other places. Hanukkah celebrated at his Dad’s and Pat’s Orleans home were very special to Matt. The lighting of the candles, the recital of the prayers, and opening of gifts, to be finished with dinner of bay scallops was a favorite time of Matt’s to share with his Dad and other family members.
Matt leaves his beloved wife, Rebecca, his dad, Scott, his stepmother, Pat, his sister, Anna, his brother, Alex, his in-laws, Joe and Maureen, his mother, Alexis, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, and countless friends with whom he enjoyed many Cape Cod adventures over the years. Matt also leaves his dog, Buddy, for whom he often “spoke” relating exactly how Buddy viewed different situations.
On September 22, 2023, Matt was buried in the Falmouth Jewish Congregation Cemetery at a graveside service, conducted by Rabbi Elias Lieberman. A Shiva was held at the Falmouth Jewish Congregation on Tuesday, September 26, at 7pm. in the Congregation’s Goode Chapel.
Posted online on September 27, 2023
Published in Cape Cod Times
