Matthew "Matty" Knipple

Matthew Reuben Knipple, 36, of Lakewood, Colorado died peacefully, surrounded by friends and family on July 10, 2023. He was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver on June 25, 1987, to proud parents Bill (Pops) and Cathy Knipple.

He is survived by his mother, Cathy, who had nothing but love and pride for her only child and best friend. He is also survived by Aunt Rosie (Vic) Grad, JoAnn (Dan) Carbone, Annette (Tom) Menzies, cousins and a multitude of friends who were his siblings from another mother.

Matt will forever be godfather to Lucille and Fionnuala (Finn) McGuire. His legacy of love, laughter, and kind heartedness will be passed on to them.

Matt grew up in Edgewater, Colorado. He attended Our Lady of Fatima School in Lakewood where he made many friends who remained close with him throughout his entire life. From a young age, Matt had the ability to tease and banter in such an endearing way that you couldn’t help but like him. His father, Bill, passed down both his charisma and his love of sports to Matt, who quickly became an avid sports fan. Matt was a die-hard supporter of all Colorado professional teams, except for the Denver Broncos, much to Bill’s chagrin. Instead, Matt became a devoted fan of the San Francisco 49ers, with Jerry Rice being his all-time favorite football player, all because they won the first Super Bowl he ever watched. Matt was always strong in his convictions and true to himself, which added even more charm to an already lovable guy.

Matt was a gifted student who excelled in school, particularly in mathematics. He was also an intense competitor and athlete who enjoyed playing basketball, football, and especially baseball. Matt attended J.K. Mullen high school, where he forged even more life-long friendships. He continued to excel in his classes and even took up a new sport, lacrosse. Anyone who interacted with Matt couldn’t help but be drawn to his contagious laugh and smile, and his knack for playful quips and wisecracks.

Being a life-long CU Buffs fan, it was Matt’s dream to attend the University of Colorado. He was accepted there where he received a degree in Political Science. He then set his sights on getting into law school.

Matt was accepted to the law school program in Kansas City, Missouri. During his first year, his father became gravely ill and sadly passed away. Not wanting his mother to face her grief alone, Matt made the decision to leave law school and move back to Denver to be closer to Cathy. He began a very successful career in the insurance industry where he was well-loved by his coworkers in addition to his friends.

Matt left this world much too soon, but some might say that’s because he loved his friends and family so intensely that his flame burned brighter than most. A more genuine person cannot be found, as Matt always spoke his mind and wore his heart on his sleeve. He may have been hotheaded with a bristly exterior, but he was truly a gentle and caring soul at his core. He had a gift for making people feel special. If there was ever someone to count on in your life, it was Matt, because he was the fiercest and most loyal friend anyone could ever have. Matt always found a way to bring out the humor in everything and time spent with him always involved bouts of laughter. There is a reason why he started to lose count of the times he was asked to be a groomsman in a friend’s wedding.

The world will never be the same for those who knew and loved Matt. But he will live on in the memories he made with everyone.

Nothing rings more true for Matthew Reuben Knipple, loving son of Bill and Cathy Knipple, than the quote, “If you need to know the measure of a man, you simply count his friends.”

See below for funeral service arrangements. As Matt would have wanted, please dress casually in your favorite sports gear, preferably CU Buffs, 49ers, Rockies, Avs, or Nuggets. Those sporting Huskers, CSU Rams, Broncos, or Chiefs gear will be asked to sit in the back of the church ;-P (wink, wink)

No flowers please. Feel free to bring sports stickers to place on his casket or a personal note to Matt, which will be sent with him on his journey.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Matt's name to the Action Center, in Lakewood, CO, or a charity of your choosing.