Fallen Member/ Moderator: Lilmatty, passed 10-14

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:12 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

I think I know of a way to honor Matt.

I met Matt in Moab 2005. My very first time going off-roading. He was really nice and we had a little fun banter going on and talked about Colorado and the Air Force since he used to live here in Denver.

Matt drove his red KJ with a little green Intel doll in the front of his bumper. I am going to find one of those rare dolls (just did some searching) and will drive in Moab with one on my front bumper.

Everyone going to LOST Moab in 08 could do the same.

Found it on the Intel site:

http://www.bdasites.com/theintelstore/xtreme_product_display.asp?xtremeid=5F72C59F9C8C4F&iu=&pid=INTC700932-00&pic=700932

ordered too
Good idea Dave...
I remember talking to him this year at MOAB while on Flat Iron Mesa and me and my wife got to talk to him a bit while waiting for everybody to get past Pucker Point.
Just Sad...

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:46 pm

Wow. What a stunner. We talked about life and appreciating what you have while we were in Big Bear. I know he was valuing every moment. Paul, I am so sorry for your family's loss. Please let us know when the service will be and if there's anything we can do for you. David, great idea with the Intel man.

bthomas · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:29 pm

OMG, what a shock.

When I think of Matt, I think of an active guy, out there doing what he enjoyed. I have to imagine his last week was that way too. He was skilled, and gentlemanly in showing his love of the trail and how to get across it. He certainly spotted me out of some awkward places. I'll think of him every single time I step up to my driver's door and see the NorCal sticker by the Jeep badge. My condolences to his family, and my thanks to them for passing on this sad news to his fellow Jeepers.

dirtykj · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:53 pm

My condolences to his family.

I remember Matt from our very first off-road trip to Big Bear. Matt put up with my constant asking for directions. He had the misfortune to stay in the same hotel with us

Whenever I think of Matt I always think of this kind gentleman who was always patient, caring and full of encouragement and love for life.

I will try my hardest to attend Moab '08. If not, I shall tie the intel guy to my grille for a month. I'll miss you, Matt. You're in good company now.

jpzkj · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:11 pm

hyedipin wrote:

This is so sad. I just realized, life is too short to be mad at someone you love or someone you care. So go ahead, give that hug to those you love and tell them you love them. You never know if you will see them again, or if they will see you. This is life and nobody knows when it will end.

Very true words....

Im so sorry to hear this news, Matt was a good guy with a big heart. I miss him already.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:16 pm

Quote:

Services will be this Saturday the 20th at:
Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary.
1700 Pleasant Hill Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472.

There will be a public viewing from 09:00-10:45. The actuall service will be closed casket starting at 11:00.

Please have people RSVP ASAP if you could.

As far as donations go, anything towards keeping the trails open would be Matts number one charity. So something along that lines would be perfect.

Thanks again.

Paul

hoku5 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:44 pm

Townsend, Marshall Andrew - Born In Long Beach Ca In 1947; Passed Awa (Matt)
View/Sign Guest Book
TOWNSEND, Marshall Andrew (Matt) - Born in Long Beach, CA in 1947; passed away October 14, 2007 at Stanford Hospital. A retired Sebastopol resident for 8 years. He enjoyed helping his neighbors setup internet service through the WSCICC (No Cat) co-op. He was very interested in geneology, especially the Townsend branch.. He loved off roading and was an avid 4 wheeler along with his son Paul. He enjoyed taking Sunday drives, watching his grandchildren play sports, fishing (especially in Florida), tinkering with mechanical things, and had an enthusiasm for learning new things. He was treasurer of the Townsend Society in Oyster Bay, NY; board member of West Sonoma County Internet Co-op; moderator of the Northern California Chapter of Liberty Off Road Special Teams Club (LOST KJ); and a volunteer for Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. Matt was one of the first 500 employees of Intel Corp. He worked as an electronics engineer during most of his 17 years of employment there. He changed careers after completing his Computer Science degree from Chapman University. He worked as a computer scientist in Sierra Vista, AZ and in Monument, CO where he started his own consulting company, Ayuup Inc. and retired in 1999. He is survived by his wife Laura Emma (Mittelsdorf) Townsend; father Paul Franklin Townsend; son Paul Hisashi Marshall of Windsor, CA and daughter Tamiko Ruth House of San Jose, CA; grandchildren Kyle Robert House, Zachary Marshall House, Ella Hanako House, Ryan Howard Marshall, and Jacob Tyler Marshall; as well as his brothers Stanley Keith Townsend of Payson, AZ and Larry Dean Townsend of West Chicago, IL. Matt was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Lavern Townsend (Lippold). A visitation will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2007 between 9:00-10:45 a.m. with a Memorial Service to begin at 11:00 am, at the Pleasant Hills Memorial Park Chapel, 1700 Pleasant Hill Rd. Sebastopol. CHEDA & LYONS DIRECTORS (707) 823-5042
Published in the Press Democrat on 10/17/2007.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:51 pm

RIP Matt.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:57 pm

Wow! One of the first 500 employees of Intel!

He had a big family and spread his enjoyment of life around to many others according to that obit.

carroll952 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:24 pm

Wow, he worked in Sierra Vista, the city I was born in.

RIP Matt, I wish I knew you better.

Justin

bthomas · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:36 am

Matt on Fins and Things

Matt exiting Cliffhanger in the rain, to get the control arm done

My last run with Matt was at the Big Bear event, but the one before that was memorable too. We did the first 2 miles of Fordyce Trail, just to try it, but turned around before Sunrise Hill. A little lake on the way out was the lunch stop, and we both took in the pleasure of the quiet place. He really enjoyed being out on any trail.

Matt on Fordyce Trail

Matt on John Bull at Big Bear

Be seeing you Matt

Rest in peace

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:43 am

Man, I still can't get over this.

For the past couple of years, since I met him personally in Moab in 2006, we have chatted online at least once per week. I just spoke with him, I guess shortly before he fell ill, and we were chatting about the work he had just finished on his Wrangler.

Matt was a good man, and someone you would feel comfortable turning to for advice any time. I'm really going to miss him, even though I've only known him for a short two years.

It turns out to be impossible for me to make it to California in person to attend the funeral, but I will be there in spirit. Rest in Peace, Matt. I am sure you've moved on to a better place.

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:14 am

I just thought of a couple of things I could do for the family in memory of Matt since I won't be able to attend the service, memorial run, etc... I'm going to order one of the green Intel guys and place him in the front of my cockpit while I fly over here. I'll make sure that I take some pictures and post them here. I have a couple of other ideas but I have to pass them through my chain-of-command first.

pm1 · **Joined:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:40 am **Posts:** 7

Keep me in the loop on the memorial run. I would like to go and send Matt off then. I will be the keeper of his ashes and I think letting the ashes loose in the Sierras would be great. He always loved that place. When I was a kid, he used to go on these crazy 5 day back country back backing trips all over the sierra's. Dancing with bears and such. Or maybe that was a Dead concert. There are alot of pictures of him in what looks like the Desolation Wilderness or Yosemite area. I know that a run won't be possible until after the thaw, but thats ok.
By the way, all these responses are touching and moving. I like to think he is wheeling in a place now, where you never run out of gas and nothing ever breaks.

dog_party · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:08 pm

pm1 wrote:

I think letting the ashes loose in the Sierras would be great.

I can think of no better tribute from a son to his father. You are in our prayers as you work through this trying time.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:17 pm

pm1 wrote:

Keep me in the loop on the memorial run. I would like to go and send Matt off then. I will be the keeper of his ashes and I think letting the ashes loose in the Sierras would be great. He always loved that place. When I was a kid, he used to go on these crazy 5 day back country back backing trips all over the sierra's. Dancing with bears and such. Or maybe that was a Dead concert. There are alot of pictures of him in what looks like the Desolation Wilderness or Yosemite area. I know that a run won't be possible until after the thaw, but thats ok.
By the way, all these responses are touching and moving. I like to think he is wheeling in a place now, where you never run out of gas and nothing ever breaks.

We certainly will. We might need your help since most of us do not know that area or the trails he liked to run. My thought is we will have to shoot for early Summer/late Spring and do it after Moab.
We will be doing a memorial run in Moab also during our 08 event. Trail to be figured out in near future but it will be for Matt and I know a lot of folks will have Matts Jeep icon, the Intel bunny guy, hanging off some part of their Jeep during the run. Please keep in touch Paul. We would love for you to call LOST your Jeep home on the net. We would also love to see you in Big Bear again next year!

hoku5 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:11 pm

I won't be able to attend the services but my thoughts and prayers are witn Matt and Laura and his family.
Rest in peace my friend.

Burchie · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:36 am

My tribute to Matt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP1njjBiiDg

dog_party · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:04 am

Great slideshow Burchie. Thanks for sharing those memories.

Ntrgrl · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:47 pm

Another reminder that life is short.... I'm in shock.
:shock:

My condolences to Matt's family.

Fallen Member/ Moderator: Lilmatty, passed 10-14

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