Matthew Dean Lindsay, beloved son, grandson, uncle, cousin, and friend, passed away November 30th, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah at the age of 22.

To the delight of his parents, Garrett Ray Lindsay and Cheryl Colleen Stokes Lindsay, Matthew made his entrance into this life as a healthy, happy, baby weighing 7 pounds and 14 ounces. His parents and two older sisters, Alissa and Rose, affectionately referred to him as Matty.

When his brother Preston became part of the family, two years later, Matthew loved to play with him because they both had very creative imaginations. As he grew older Matthew was always finding ways to make his whole family giggle and laugh.

Matthew attended elementary schools in Mapleton, Orem, Provo, Springville, and Vineyard, Utah. However, most of his elementary education took place at Vineyard Elementary. Matthew enjoyed elementary school and was an excellent student. In First Grade Matthew accomplished a nearly impossible task. He was given a certificate congratulating him for PERFECT ATTENDANCE for the school year 2007-2008. In Third Grade, Matthew was recognized for being a Multiplication King. Matthew was an avid reader and a very creative writer so he always earned an "A" in Language Arts. In the Sixth Grade, Matthew participated in the Science Fair. His Award Certificate said, "Everyone loved it! Your display was so well done! Your charts were so interesting. You know your material so well! Awesome project!"

Matthew attended Orem Junior High School for his middle school education. There he made many new friends and deepened the relationship with current friends. These friends included Kaylee Brinkerhoff Wagner, Kaden Eastman, Jason Hayes, Laettner Hayes, and Teos Lleverino, and Cameron Shelly. Describing Matthew's ability to make friends, one of them commented, "Your bubbly attitude makes everyone smile and you are so very honest!"

Matthew attended Heritage High School in Provo, Utah his sophomore year and then went to Mountain View High School in Orem, Utah his junior year. During his junior year, Matthew decided to graduate from high school early. And when Matthew set his mind to something it happened! In December, 2017, after Matthew set his goal of early graduation, his Mountain View Student Advocate wrote, "Matt is doing some classwork online in order to graduate early, and his progress has been phenomenal! He is focused and gets the work done incredibly fast – he has completed 12 packets just during this term! Matt is a force to be reckoned with!" And Matthew did graduate from Mountain View High School in May, 2018 one year early!

As part of Matthew's preparation to enroll at Utah Valley University in Orem, he took the American College Test. It indicated that he scored better than 75% of the students from Utah who took the test. Knowing that he was academically prepared, Matthew started at UVU in the fall of 2018 at the age of 17. His plan was to major in Psychology and then get a Masters Degree in Social Work so that he could become a licensed therapist. Matthew quite enjoyed his semester at UVU, at least socially. By the age of 17, Matthew was a very handsome, well-built young man. Sometimes co-eds would start talking with him at school and then suggest that they would like to get better acquainted. He would ask them their age. They would usually be 20 or 21. When he would volunteer that he was only 17, they would lose their interest quickly and be on their way.

Matthew was a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was very happy when he was baptized on April 11, 2009 by his father, Garrett. He was equally excited when he received the Aaronic Priesthood and was ordained to the office of Deacon on April 21, 2013 by his Grandpa Stokes. Although Matthew experienced many serious challenges during his short life, he never lost his faith in his savior Jesus Christ.

Matthew particularly enjoyed participating in the scouting activities sponsored by his Church. He earned the highest rank in the Cub Scouts – the Webelos Badge. He added to that achievement by being awarded the Arrow of Light. Later, as a Boy Scout, he earned seventeen different merit badges ranging from Aquanaut to World Conservation. Matthew really looked forward each Cub Scout year to the Pine wood Derby. He and his dad would build together a beautiful and immaculately designed pinewood racing car. Matthew's car won first place three of the four years he participated. The fourth year he came in second but did receive a ribbon for best "Hot Rod."

Matthew was a hard worker and tried several different jobs after he graduated from high school. His employment efforts included: cashier, construction go-fer, dish washer, golf course attendant, handy man, pizza maker, short order cook and waiter.

Activities that brought relaxation and enjoyment to Matthew included sports and camping. As a youth, he participated in competitive sports leagues involving baseball, basketball, flag football, and soccer. Matthew learned to love the wilderness during his scout camping trips. Later, he became a very experienced camper while participating in two different wilderness programs – one of them actually took place in the middle of the winter, while the other took place in the middle of the summer. Other fun activities he enjoyed were dancing, drawing, hanging out with family (even if it meant sleeping through boring movies that they chose), hanging out with friends, learning, meditation, playing with cats and dogs, playing video games, reading, solving brain-teasers and riddles, story and joke telling, and traveling with family. Family trips that Matthew enjoyed included: annual visits to Bear Claw, an LDS Church History Tour that included Palmyra-Kirtland-Missouri-and Nauvoo, multiple cruises, vacationing in Hawaii, multiple visits to Disneyland, and a tour of the Northwestern United States.

When Matthew was twelve, two men, that he relied on for love and support, passed away unexpectedly. The first was his uncle Blaine Stokes; and then five months later his dad, Garrett Lindsay. Matthew struggled to accept what had happened and wrestled within himself for a long time to make sense out of it. Even so, Matthew did find the strength and courage to speak at his dad's funeral. After the funeral, his Aunt Charisse Roberts told him, "Your talk at your dad's funeral was perfect! You are amazing. Thank you for sharing your words with us in such an honest, pure-of-heart way."

In his last few years of life, Matthew struggled with issues so challenging that he became homeless. He spent the last four years of his life and his last two winters living as a homeless person. Through all the ups and downs of life, Matthew retained a strong conviction of who he really was. Before he passed away, he listed some things that he really liked about himself:

I have a huge imagination.

I can make others laugh.

I have a kind attitude.

I love my family.

I am respectful.

I am a gentleman.

I have good leadership skills.

I care about people, even if I don't know them.

I am good at persevering through really tough things.

I make friends easily.

I am a good singer.

I give good hugs.

I am a cool dude.

Matthew is survived by his mother Cheryl, siblings, Alissa (Jarom) Harlan, Rose Lindsay, and Preston Lindsay, half-siblings, Sadie (Tyler) Anderson, and Kyle Lindsay; Grandparents, Joan Lindsay and Brent Stokes; step parents, Andy and Kristen Monson; Step-siblings Ashli (Westin) Lundskod, Ciara (Cameron) Hicken, Casey (Natasha) Hallowell, Kayson and Andrew Jr. (AJ) Monson; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Matthew was preceded in death by his father, Garrett Lindsay, grandfather Dean Lindsay, grandmother, Colleen Stokes, uncles Christian Lindsay and Blaine Stokes, and cousin Skyler Wing.

Matthew's final celebration/service will be held on Saturday, December 30th at 11:00 AM MT in the Orem Utah Park 4th Ward chapel, 113 South 400 West, Orem, Utah 84058. A viewing will be held from 9:30 – 10:30 AM MT on December 30th in the Relief Society room of the Park 4th Ward meeting house. Internment will be at the Orem City Cemetery located at 1520 North 800 East Orem, Utah 84097

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The celebration service will be available live webcast. Go to www.walkersanderson.com and find the obituary for Matthew Dean Lindsay. Instructions and webcast link will be available.