Obituary of Matthew MacLaren Date

Matthew MacLaren Date, 54, passed away peacefully Wednesday, January 11, in Tucson, Arizona, in the company of family members. He is survived by his mother, Helen Peters Date Cowles, and his siblings, Kirby Date (Richard Litwin), John Date (Paula), Julia Date (Eric Nielsen), Jennifer Date, Shelley Cowles Bates (Paul), and Kathy Cowles Rayder (Warren); eleven nieces and nephews; and by the loving staff at Devon Gables Health Care, his longtime friends and caregivers. He was preceded in death by his father, John Esterbrook Date Jr, his stepfather, Arthur Cowles, his stepbrother Woody Cowles, and his beloved Labrador, Mandy. We will remember Matt for his lifelong love of animals and the outdoors, his wry and insightful sense of humor, his penchant for pranks and mischief, and his courage, endurance, and indomitable humor in the face of his illness. Over his too-short active life, Matt worked as a national parks staff person, wildfire crew member, truck driver, fishing boat crew member, bartender, and ski patrolman, in the Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, the California Sierras, the Alaska Pacific, and Park City, Utah. He was a talented athlete, and had a beautiful singing voice and an easy sociability with anyone he met. We loved him dearly, and will miss him greatly. Contributions in Matthew's name may be made to the National Park Foundation. (www.nationalparks.org/support) Services will be private.