Matthew Kristian Pennewell

Born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan by Elsa and Thomas Pennewell, a nurse and a professor who embodied the best ideals of the 1960s, Matt was taught traditional midwestern values, but with an individualistic streak. He was family-oriented and friendly, honest, and loyal—but also believed in challenging norms and going his own way. Easy-going, his strength and stature housed his even bigger heart. As a kid he was innately athletic, creative, and clever, excelling at soccer and early computer games. Coming of age in the 80’s as a rebellious and denim-clad teen, Matt rocked loud music and a mullet with enthusiasm. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1987 and went on to get his BA in Journalism from Central Michigan University. Ever curious, and always aware of the multitudes of new people, places, and ideas to discover beyond his simple small-town roots, Matt ventured out west pursuing plentiful passions and the progressive philosophies first implanted by his parents.

Matt was a sensitive and expressive soul. Creativity compulsively inked out in his doodles and drawings, poems, musings, and short fictional tales of horror. A voracious reader and lifelong wordsmith, he was well-versed in fiction and comics, consumed crosswords, and delighted in sharing many subtle shades of meaning. He immersed himself in all genres of music and sometimes savored a good Kentucky bourbon while riffing the blues on his harmonica. Above all, Matt was a zealous cinephile, favored horror films, and averaged watching one movie per day. He wore funny, sometimes questionably-appropriate T-shirts, delighted students with his outrageous socks, and maintained his silly, sarcastic, and at times sardonic humor.

Like his father and brother before him, Matt found his calling and vocation as a teacher for eighteen years. While living in Oregon, he received his post-baccalaureate certificate from Portland State University to teach English to non-native speakers. Matt left everything behind and moved to Australia, where he taught at a school for troubled kids. His daily commute included trekking through crocodile-infested waters, a detail he relished retelling with just enough embellishment. Those students shaped him as much as he shaped them, and the experience cemented his commitment to the profession. Itching for another opportunity abroad, he later served two years in Bulgaria with the Peace Corps, becoming fluent in Bulgarian while teaching English and working to prevent human trafficking.

In 2008, Matt returned to his much-loved mitten state earning his master’s in education from the University of Michigan. He taught elementary school kids for several years as an esteemed ESL teacher, first in Lexington, Kentucky, and then in Bellevue, Washington, most notably at Phantom Lake Elementary. It was in Bellevue where Matt founded, fittingly, the school Kindness Club to spread the culture of empathy and compassion—modeling values from his parents that spread amongst his students.

The Pennewell family cabin built together in the woods of West Branch, Michigan during his childhood always remained a treasured respite for Matt. Cabin life also fostered Matt’s love of outdoor adventure. He continued to explore the wilderness throughout his life and travels by hiking, biking, climbing mountains, kayaking, and camping wherever he lived.

The final and happiest arc of Matt’s life began when he moved to Seattle. Seattle fit him perfectly: eccentric, warm, intellectual, and full of possibility. It was here that Matt met his perfect life partner, Christel, and her son, Marlowe. Though he had long been content as the world’s greatest uncle, (he bragged about Jack, Kai, and Cooper any chance he could get!) Christel and Marlowe gave him the family he always deserved. They cherished everything from their cozy routines at home and rambles through their Maple Leaf neighborhood to adventures farther afield—traveling through Canada, Vietnam, and Iceland, and especially exploring their shared heritage in Sweden. Their decade together preserves a lifetime of unconditional love and zest for living life to its fullest.

Seattle was also where Matt built a joyful community of friends who shared adventures, camping trips, and evenings of storytelling around campfires while Matt played blues harp late into the night. It was here, too, that he was first diagnosed with the cancer that would ultimately take his life. Matt found peace in the splendors of the Olympic Peninsula and spent a lot of time hiking and camping there with friends and family in his final years. He assured us we could always find his spirit in the mountains. Matt remained resilient and astonishingly hopeful fighting back a rare form of cancer for over six years; he loved and laughed with his family and a few friends until taking his final peaceful breaths. But even in illness he offered a final lesson in how to live: when asked if he wanted to create a bucket list, he said he didn’t need one. He had been living his bucket list every day of his life.

Like Batman, Matt’s legacy will live on. He is survived by his wife and the love of his life, Christel Pennewell, his step-son Marlowe Berg, who brought him endless pride and joy, cherished parents Tom and Elsa, beloved brother and sister-in-law Adam and Karen, and adored nephews, Jack, Kai, and Cooper.

A service to celebrate Matt’s life will be held in the Seattle area, with details to be announced after the holidays. In lieu of flowers or gifts to the family, donations in Matt’s honor can be made to:

● The National Wildlife Federation - https://support.nwf.org/page/90904/donate/1

● Peace Pigs Sanctuary - https://www.pigspeace.org/main/donate.html