Matthew Byron Rebentisch

Matt passed away peacefully in his Salt Lake City home surrounded by his family on September 21, 2021.

Matthew Byron Rebentisch was born on June 7, 1958 in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Ardyth and Dean Rebentisch. While growing up he loved playing in the desert with his brothers Martin, Steven, and Eric as well as all his Garvin, Hanson and Stirland cousins. Matt graduated from Edward W. Clark High School as a part of the class of 1976.  That fall he enrolled in Carroll College in Helena Montana, there he found a love for Pottery and Biology.  Matt also started the Soccer club at Carroll College where he coached and was a co-captain. He went on to earn his BS in Biology. That was not the end of his educational career. He went on to get his Master’s in Microbiology from California State University Dominguez Hills, after graduating Matt took a wonderful job at St. Jude’s doing research on leukemia. It was while living in Memphis he met his wife Jolynn “Joie” Dorsett, and they were married in August of 1982.

Matt's love for research eventually brought him to Salt Lake in 1987 to work at Primary Children’s  Hospital.  When he wasn’t working you could find him hiking and camping in the Wasatch and Unita mountain ranges, Fly fishing, riding his Harley or skiing in the winter.  

Matt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the early 2000’s. He was a fighter and never let his disease bring him down. Through all the hardship and decline he always was able to keep a positive attitude and never lost his charisma and humor.

Matt is survived by his wife Joie, sons Aaron and Andrew and daughter Erika, and his only grandson Forest.  His brothers and their wives Steven (Terry), Martin (Becky) and Eric (Becky), as well as nieces and nephews and many cousins. He is preceded in death by his mother Arydth Stirland Rebentisch and father Henry Dean Rebentisch and his grandparents.

We wish to thank the home health providers Patty and Victor, his nurse AJ and House Call Doctors for your assistance and support. 

Please join his family for a memorial service on Friday, October 15, 2021 at 6:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor located at 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City.