Matthew Texas

MATTHEW BRUNI SAMES

February 27, 1989 – April 10, 2017

Our son and brother, Matthew Bruni Sames, 28, died on April 10, 2017 in Lubbock, Texas. Matt was born on February 27, 1989 into two multi-generational Laredo families, and raised in Laredo. He attended Gutierrez Elementary and Alexander High School, and graduated from Excel Academy in Conroe, Texas. He attended UTSA and was a student at Texas Tech University at the time of his death.

Matt was a tender and artistic soul, and a gifted artist and observer of the human condition. Not much escaped his iconoclastic perspective. But if he was critical of some philosophical point, social more, or human foible, there was no end to his kindness and compassion. He was full of contrasts. A skinny rambunctious child he was and rock solid and muscular as a young adult. He was a stranger to violence, a pacifist. He loved guns, but hated shooting animals and refused, from his earliest days hunting in the south Texas brushlands to kill an animal. He was a lifeguard at the university pool, and the first one in the pool here at home, usually on January 1, just to make a point, but later quit his job he loved at a national gym because he refused to enforce the rules or kick anybody out of the hot tub. He loved books, poetry, and literature, and especially music, but would not read what anybody else was reading or recommending. He was willful and stubborn, but it was always a principled stand, never irrational. And he was so soft spoken and so tender, and – no one fails to add, so extraordinarily handsome, a beautiful man--- that when you were with Matt few words were necessary. His quiet confidence, so many have commented that they could actually feel his aura, a goodness from him, let you know that those still waters ran very deep. He struggled with beauty and difficulty, love and indifference, joy and despair, as if they were all from the same source. But no story about Matt is complete, and all of our family stories eventually return to his mischief and humor. Serious and stoic, he would expound on the secrets of the universe, while slipping a banana peel under your feet. Never cruel or at anyone’s expense, his humor would come out of some unexpected place or situation, and leave us astounded at his inventiveness. And, amid the guffaws, we would shake our heads…..”Where did that come from? Who would have thought of that?” He would laugh with us, and cry with us, all the while sharing such a vivid connection to our common humanity, and the tragi-comedy of existence, that his embrace was a direct connection to God that is indescribable but so very vivid. Matt loved God and believed in a higher power in this existence and we know that the Almighty has taken Matt into his loving arms. Matthew was no ordinary soul, and his gift was something we shared all too briefly.

Matthew is survived by his parents, Richard and Triana Bruni Sames, and by his brothers, Richard E. Sames, Jr. and David Ryan Sames. He is also survived by his grandparents, Buddy and Linda Bruni, and uncles, aunts and cousins on both the Bruni and Sames branches of his family.

He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Harry E. Sames, Jr. and Lydia J. Sames, and his maternal grandmother Joan Wenning.

Triana, Dick, Richard and David want to express our profound appreciation for our family and friends and for the outpouring of support we have received during this sad time. Matthew was loved, and loved us, and our lives are shattered. Life is for the living, and the best way to honor Matt is to live life fully, but at times like these, that is hard to really know. It is heartwarming to feel the love of our family and friends.

If you want to remember Matthew in some way “forgive some sinner, or wink an eye at a lonely person” (as Mencken suggested - Matt would like that), or more tangibly, make a contribution to Christ Church Episcopal, our church home and the source of much of our strength in life (come visit the church, or go talk to Paul Frey, our priest, some time and you will understand ), to the Laredo Animal Shelter (Matthew was as apt to pick up a stray as a beauty) or a charity which is in your heart. Matt is forever in ours.

A Memorial service for Matthew will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday April 21, 2017 at Christ Church Episcopal, 2320 Lane St, Laredo, TX 78043.

You may express your condolences to the family online at: www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of the funeral service professionals at Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapels and Cremation Services, 1410 Jacaman Rd., Laredo, Texas 78041; (956)722-8850.