Matthew Gordon Buesinger

Matthew Gordon Buesinger burst into this world on November 20, 1981 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. Kate and Gary decided to name him after their own fathers, Matt Graham and Gordon Buesinger. Kate wanted to name their baby Gordo. Gary said absolutely not. And so Matt left the hospital and joined his older sister Jenny at their home in Taylorville.

As a toddler, Matt didn’t care much for the English language and so he decided to create his own. There was Daddo (dad), Nanno (Jenny), Mobeeplo (motorcycle), Bulubalo (banana), Stevie Repetio (his favorite cousin Steve), Buh (foil), and he referred to himself as Mattmo. Most of these words stuck and the family still uses them today.

Matt enjoyed riding big wheels, digging in the sandbox, and fishing at the lake as he grew into a young boy. He played kickball in the large backyard with his sister and their neighbors. He went on bike rides with whomever would join him. And Matt insisted the family cat, Butterscotch, belonged to him. However, Jenny inisted Butterscotch belonged to her. The issue was never resolved.

In 1989, Gary and Kate packed up the family and moved north to Morris, Illinois. That’s where Matt enrolled in second grade at Immaculate Conception School and met Craig Fister, Kurt Peterson, Andy Johnson and Tom Rooks. Neighbors Kevin Brown and Brian Struck were always available to join any activity at a moments notice. All of them remain friends with Matt to this day.

Matt played basketball and flag football at I.C.S. He also began collecting baseball cards and discovered a lifelong love of video games. He found a small pond in the neighborhood to continue fishing with his new buddies.

Matt and Kevin would occasionally set up tables in the front yard and host a baseball card stand like other kids would have a lemonade stand. They never had a single customer. But they bartered and traded cards with each other so it was a huge success.

Matt graduated from Morris Community High School in 2000. During that time, he picked up more amazing friends including Tom Womack and John McIntyre. Matt played on the golf and tennis teams in high school, and discovered he enjoyed the social aspects of school more than academics. In fact, he never wanted to stay home sick because he was afraid he’d miss something fun.

Matt had a couple of jobs during this time. He delivered the local paper around the neighborhood. He also worked as a cart-pusher at Walmart. He hated both jobs because it forced him to work in the cold and the old people were mean to him. Mom gently reminded him that sometimes people without a college education had to take jobs they didn’t necessarily enjoy.

And so Matt entered Illinois State University at Bloomington-Normal in the fall of 2000. A short time later, Matt found Nate Binkley in a criminal justice class. Nate became Matt’s best friend, his brother, and his partner in crime. When Matt wasn’t studying (ahem), he played Xbox and Playstation, Fantasy Football and was known to throw great house parties. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice on May 8, 2004.

After a brief stint as a parole officer, Matt proclaimed it was the worst choice he made in his entire life. So he went back to school at OSF St. Francis in Peoria, where he discovered a passion for helping others. He graduated cum laude with a nursing degree in 2010 and began working in the intensive care unit at St. Francis.

Matt hated winter. He insisted on wearing shorts and flip-flops in January. So he followed his heart and his preferred wardrobe to San Diego, where he worked as a nurse at Scripps Hospital. His heart would soon find another love, Abby.

They day after Matt met Abby, he called Kate to proclaim he’d found the only woman he would want for the rest of his life. Mom encouraged Matt to go on a few more dates before proclaiming his love to Abby. After their first date, Matt and Abby were together every single day and then decided they were tired of being apart. They moved in together and started working the same shifts at Scripps in the Intensive Care Unit.

One year later they were married. Matt’s sister Jenny and her husband Todd flew to the Philippines where they met up with Abby’s mother Janet, brother Anthony (Oen), and Kath. The only people missing at the wedding were Matt and Abby. Turns out Matt’s passport was expired. They managed to fix the problem and arrived at Club Paradise in Coron, Palawan two days later where they were married on the beach at sunset on April 18, 2015.

Days after arriving back in the states, newlyweds Matt and Abby (aka Mabby) packed up their belongings and their cat Bowie and moved to Ohio. Matt spent the next two years and seven months working towards his degree in as a Nurse Anesthetist at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland. Abby supported the both of them while Matt studied day and night with fellow students Trey Roundtree and Chris Bibro. Matt graduated from Case Western Reserve as a Nurse Anesthetist with a 4.0 GPA in December 2017.

It was time for another move. This time, Matt and Abby and Bowie drove to Las Vegas where they purchased their first home. Not able to be a part for a moment, they both began working at Centennial Hills Hospital. Matt loved hiking with Abby, plus golfing and playing poker with yet more new friends in Las Vegas. He enjoyed meeting up with family and friends traveling to Vegas, especially chatting up his favorite uncle, Bud. Despite the heartbreak, Matt enjoyed rooting for the Chicago Bears and most of the clothes hanging in his closet are a reminder of his sad love for the team. In November 2018, Matt and Abby announced they were expecting a daughter in June, 2018. Her name will be Olivia Joy.

Matt left us suddenly on February 2, 2019. He is survived by his loving wife Abby, father Gary, Mother Kate, sister Jenny, brother-in-law slash best friend Todd Sperry, mother-in-law Janet Villareal Acosta, and brother Oen. He also leaves behind dozens if not hundreds of friends who love Matt for his loyalty and his ability to listen and offer advice.

Following services at Palm Northwest Mortuary in Las Vegas, Matt will be cremated and placed in a beautiful hand-chosen urn so he can continue finding new adventures with Abby and Olivia.

Matthew Gordon Buesinger.

1981-2019.

Rest in Peace, dear husband, son, brother, friend.