05/03/2018

Obituary for Matthew Lawrence "Matt" Kirsh

Brother of Ted Kirsh, Funeral Director at Busch Funeral and Crematory Services

Matthew Lawrence "Matt" Kirsh, age 53, of Westlake, Ohio, and longtime Cleveland, Ohio resident, passed away on Sunday, April 29, 2018 at the Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake following a frustrating but courageous battle with metastatic cancer.

Matt was born on July 29, 1964 at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois, where he briefly lived in LaGrange, Illinois as an infant and toddler. He spent his youth living in Marion, Ohio, Grove City, Pennsylvania, and Galion, Ohio. Matt graduated from Colonel Crawford High School in North Robinson, Ohio in 1982, and shortly thereafter moved to Cleveland. He attended the Ohio School of Broadcast Technique with hopes of becoming a broadcaster. For many years Matt worked in commercial flooring and solid surface sales. His current position was with Parksite, Inc. as a commercial sales specialist of architectural surfaces.

Matt truly enjoyed socializing and enjoying the good things in life. He was a great cook and backyard grill master. He loved to try new food items and recipes. He was a wine enthusiast and was quite knowledgeable of all things wine. His palate was also no stranger to beer, bourbon, and the occasional cigar! An avid outdoorsman and angler, Matt found true enjoyment and solace in fishing the Rocky River, Lake Erie, Lake Buckhorn, and any body of water where the prospects were good. He enjoyed sharing his fishing stories and photos of his fishing holes and catches. Matt was also a classic rock aficionado and a beginner guitar player. His knowledge of rock bands and artists and musicians from the 70's and 80's and beyond was impressive, as were his stories of attending some legendary and memorable concerts in Cleveland. He loved Cleveland, its professional sports teams, and Ohio State football.

Matt was an athlete in his younger years and enjoyed playing baseball in high school. He was also a good basketball player and once possessed a cannon for a throwing arm, especially throwing the football with his brothers. Matt was very active in the lives and sports and activities of his daughters when they were young.

Survivors include his beloved wife Karen E. Kirsh (nee Peronne); his daughters Jennifer Stasko (Brian), Halle Kirsh, Allyson Kirsh, and Andrea Goodson; parents Larry and Marilyn (nee Redden) Kirsh; siblings Andy Kirsh, Sally Kirsh, and Ted Kirsh (Kate); nieces and nephews Danielle, Josh, Erika, Lindsey, Max, Heidi and godson Ben; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Matt was preceded in death by his grandparents Joseph and Dorothy (nee Nichols) Redden, William and Kathleen (nee Vessels) Kirsh, a son Michael Goodson, his father-in-law and mother-in-law Richard and Patricia (nee Clark) Peronne, and his uncles Bill Kirsh, Fritz Kirsh, and Jim Casey.

The family will receive friends at the BUSCH FUNERAL HOME, 7501 Ridge Road, Parma, Ohio, from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Thursday, May 3, 2018.

Memorial service to be celebrated on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 11:30 A.M. at Bethesda on the Bay Lutheran Church, 28607 Wolf Road, Bay Village, Ohio 44140 (Please Meet At Church). The Rev. Angela Freeman-Riley, Pastor of Bethesda on the Bay Lutheran Church, will officiate.

A reception to continue to celebrate Matt's life will follow at 1:00 P.M. Friday at the LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility, 25777 Detroit Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145 (440-250-2000).

Memorial contributions may be forwarded to Greater Cleveland Youth for Christ Brooklyn Chapter, 709 Brookpark Road Lower Level Unit 1, Cleveland, Ohio 44109, or please visit www.yfccleveland.org.

BUSCH FUNERAL and CREMATORY SERVICES
440-842-7800
www.buschcares.com