Matt Rineveld

Dan Matthew “Matt” Rineveld, of Portage, Michigan, consumed life, taking in as much as he could. He was eager to experience what was around him, and his many gifts and interests allowed him to encounter a world as vast as the sky and as focused as a media screen. In his interactions, Matt was somewhat like a cat, in that he liked to come and go, but he was sure to be there for anyone in need.

At Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Matt came into the world as a 5-pound 12-ounce bundle of joy. He was the first of three children. Matt was a fun-loving, energetic boy who was full of life.

Matt came of age during the explosion of computers and video gaming, becoming a true media enthusiast. He always had the latest and greatest video game system, starting with Atari at age 8. He got a huge kick out of The Muppets Show and was always quick to quote a Muppet line in the respective character voice, Pepe being his favorite (“I am not a shrimp! I am a King Prawn!”). He even bowled with his work league on a team called Muppet Mania. Matt also enjoyed the time-tested media form of comic books, Sherman’s Lagoon (Sherman the Shark) being his favorite. He aspired to buy a Shark costume this year to upgrade from his purple elephant suit. Matt’s largest collection of toys was his Transformers. Sometimes, he would buy two of the same one, so he could have one to collect and one to play with.

Matt’s talents were multiple. At Portage Central High School, he was actively involved in the musical productions, marching band, school choir and his Acappella men’s group. By the time he graduated in 1995, he had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and served as a camp counselor at Lake Louise United Methodist Church Camp.

Matt’s interests were equally diverse. He lived for great music, amassing an eclectic collection of albums ranging from Tom Petty to Acappella Vocal Band to Hilary Duff. He liked to fly with his dad, who is a pilot, and said he couldn’t wait to spend more time flying together this year. He highly anticipated the Oshkosh Wisconsin Air Show each year with his family. His fondness for travel took him as far away as Ireland with his Mom and sisters and as near as Ohio for an annual visit to Cedar Point amusement park. He wanted to eat healthy but caved in to fast food and especially loved Silk Egg Nog, Soy Dream Ice Cream and pizza. Matt was recently learning to ride a Harley, so he could hit the pavement with his Dad and sister…literally.

People were drawn to his sense of humor, especially his sarcasm and quick wit. His circle of friends was big, but the greatest fan of his off-beat humor was his Grandma Doris. She really got him.

Over the years, Matt was employed at numerous establishments as a certified pharmacy technician. He also worked at Hollywood Video, Perkins restaurant, Pfizer, and most recently One West Bank where he was currently employed as a Customer Service Representative and JIT (Just in Time) Trainer.

Whether it was work or play, the common thread throughout Matt’s life was that he always wanted to make people happy. There will forever be a huge hole in our hearts. We love you, Matt!

Matt was born December 28, 1976 in Kalamazoo. He passed away suddenly on January 5, 2010 at his home in Portage. He was the very beloved son of Dan H. Rineveld and Valerie L. (Davis) Rineveld. He also leaves behind 2 sisters, Wendy Kathleen and Marie Lynne, both of Portage. Grandparents James R. and Doris Davis, and Grandmother Elizabeth M. Rineveld, many aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family members as well as a large number of friends. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather Dan W. Rineveld. Matt was currently employed at One West Bank of Kalamazoo and loved his job with people as a Customer Service Representative. He had just received a recent promotion to Trainer. He had many passions in life and was always willing to be someone’s friend. He loved movies, music, gaming, bowling, Transformer toys and The Muppets. He remained young at heart and loved Cedar Point trips and the Family Camp trips with his family each summer. He loved going to the Oshkosh (Wisconsin) Air Shows and planned his vacations around it. He was a counselor at Lake Louise Methodist church camp, a member of the Portage Central High School marching band, and was a cast member in several of his high school musicals. Matt achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop #243 with his father as scoutmaster. Friends will be received Thursday from 4-6 and 7-9 pm at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler-Kalamazoo 6080 Stadium Drive 375-2900. A service to honor his life will be held Friday 11 am at Portage First United Methodist Church with visitation at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at South Portage Cemetery. Friends and family are invited to participate in a potluck remembrance dinner at the church following the interment. Please visit Matt’s webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign his guest book or share a memory or photo. In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Jim Henson Foundation, C/O Matt Rineveld, where a grant will be set up for students of puppetry.