Matthew Philip LaFond

9/9/1988 - 12/20/2016

Matthew Philip LaFond entered this world on September 9th, 1988 and will never leave our hearts. Born in Denver, Colorado, Matt grew up in Lakewood, attending Devinny Elementary during which time he was a Cub Scout and began his hockey and baseball endeavors. Matt was blessed with athletic skills never before seen in the LaFond family. During his years at Dunstan Junior High, it became evident that Matt had artistic talent, and he went on to create many works of art during his life. High school was spent playing on baseball fields, skating on hockey rinks, and lifeguarding at pools for the City of Lakewood. Matt graduated from Green Mountain High School in May of 2006, and went on to Colorado State University (Go Rams!) to study Construction Management. Matt lived college life to the fullest during his four years in Fort Collins. During that time, he worked as a construction laborer to gain on-site experience in the field, and a summer living the good life in Del Mar, California working an internship with Kiewit Pacific. He graduated in May of 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management and entered the daily grind of the working world. Matt went to work for several construction contractors before finding a home with Waner Construction, working a variety of positions including project engineer, field engineer, and estimator. Joining the Waner family allowed Matt to grow and flourish in his career, and find refuge in his work. They even provided Matt a wonderful opportunity to spend a summer in El Paso, Texas!

Matt considered himself to be a fantasy football extraordinaire, and loved the Broncos, even during the tough years. He always had a keen fashion sense and taste for the finer things. While it appeared Matt was a major league baseball fan based on his hat collection, he actually just loved the hats. He also had a recent tattoo addition attesting to his love for all things Harry Potter. Matt was always known for his sharp sense of humor and ability to make anyone laugh. He had a generous heart, tremendous compassion, and was quick to reach out a helping hand to those in need. His generosity continued after his passing through organ donation. Matt is survived by his loving parents, Dick and Ann, his brother Joe and sister-in-law Rebecca, loving companions Murphy and Kush, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins on the East Coast, as well as here in Colorado.

A service remembering and honoring Matt will be held on Wednesday, December 28th at 10am at St. Jude Catholic Church, 9405 West Florida Avenue, in Lakewood, Colorado. All are welcome. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Second Wind Fund or National Alliance on Mental Illness.