Matthew Thomas DesMarteau

Matthew Thomas DesMarteau was born December 6, 1982, in Englewood, Colorado, with a smiling, friendly, curious, larger-than-life personality, just as memorable as the “Blizzard of 1982” that blew into Denver 17 days later. He passed away unexpectedly on March 30, 2026, at the age of 43.

His death is an immense and unimaginable loss to his parents, Deb and Steve DesMarteau; his three brothers, Patrick/Ashlyn DesMarteau, Eric DesMarteau, and Sean/Ellesse DesMarteau; his six nieces and nephews (Grady, Callan, Tara, Avery, Tyler, and Landon); his wife, Melinda Meleghy; and his extended family and friends. He filled our lives with an infectious smile, shared laughter, worldly curiosity, and endless energy.

An “Uncle Matt” status was especially treasured by his nieces and nephews because he played hours of games with them on their level without an ounce of adult judgment. To quote Matt, “I feel a sense of awe when watching children play, especially listening to their laughter and seeing how they get so excited about something new.”

Matthew was a well-educated handsome man of extraordinary warmth and heart with a zest for life. He was loving, attentive, sensitive, polite, intelligent, compassionate, hardworking, helpful, humorous, trustworthy, and considerate. In his best moments, he was a kind wonderful person and a truly valuable conversation partner, especially with his dad. In his shortened life, he lived and experienced so much.

He loved nature, sunrises, sunset, music, problem solving, golfing, surfing, and spontaneous ski or snowboard trips with friends in the Colorado mountains. Surfing in Costa Rica for six months was a true highlight. Matt’s tenderhearted kindness reached everyone he met; he never left without making someone smile. “Whenever I smile, the person next to me smiles; it’s contagious and my favorite thing to do.”

Matt was baptized and confirmed at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. As a youth, he played football, basketball, and baseball, and also worked as a youth umpire. He enjoyed playing football at Cherry Creek High School. Proud of becoming an Eagle Scout like each of his three brothers, he hiked many trails in Colorado and Arizona, even hiking and canoeing the beautiful waters of Atikokan, Canada, on high adventure treks.

Following his 2005 graduation from the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business with a degree in Business Administration, Matthew relocated to California. There, he began his career as a credit analyst for ACC Consumer Finance and as project manager for Affinity Sports, while always making time for his passion to surf. His professional journey later took him to Parachute, Colorado, as well as Pinedale and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, serving as an Account Manager and Fluids Service Representative for Baker Hughes Petrolite. Additionally, he contributed his skills as a Financial Analyst for the Bureau of Land Management in Lakewood.

Matthew was a man of many talents who constantly sought out new adventures. He spent several years modeling for brands like Sheplers and Christy Sports and successfully obtained his mortgage broker license. Throughout his life, he remained hardworking and versatile, operating a snow removal company and gaining experience in diverse fields such as tree trimming, carpentry, golf course maintenance, house painting, and ceramic floor installation.

Prior to pivoting toward a career in software development, Matt worked at DIA as a Customer Support Agent for Sky West Airlines. Always able to find humor in a situation, he shared a story about being trusted with using a tractor and tow bar to reposition an aircraft because airplanes have no reverse gear. Much to his amusement, he said, “The people sitting on the plane had no clue that it was my FIRST DAY!”

In 2018, Matthew earned his degree from the Turing School of Software and Design in Denver. This led to a contract with Ubisense America in Munich, Germany, where he implemented RFID inventory systems for BMW. It was in Germany that he met Melinda, the love of his life. The couple shared a deep passion for travel, exploring Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, and Germany together. After Melinda finished her master's degree, they were wed on May 8, 2024, in Castle Rock, Colorado.

We will forever remember his warmth, his hugs, his playful nature, and his ability to find joy in the smallest things. We love you, Matthew. Rest in peace.

To our family and friends, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and many kindnesses. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made in Matthew’s honor to a charity of choice. As Mother Teresa said, “You who have received so much love, share it with others. Love others the way that God has loved you, with tenderness.”

A funeral mass and reception for Matthew will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 8035 S. Quebec, in Centennial, Colorado. Interment will be at The Cremation Gardens of Centennial at a later time.