Matthew D. Sprinkle was born May 4, 1964, to R. Leo and Marilyn Sprinkle joining two older brothers. He passed away Dec. 26, 2022, due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. Matt graduated from Laramie High School in 1982. He received a BA in Music in 1986, an MA in Music Theory & Composition in 1992, and an MS in Library Science in 2008. He worked for the University of Wyoming for 37 years starting at an entry level position for the American Heritage Center then becoming an Audio-Visual Archivist from 1995-2001 then working for Coe Library as a Library Specialist Electronics Resources Coordinator from 2001-Nov. 2022. He taught music classes at LCCC from 1997-2013.
Matt was a gentle soul who cared deeply for others. He played guitar in many rock and roll bands that performed around Wyoming. He enjoyed playing hacky sack with his dear friends, and sometimes his brothers, which he did for 30 years. He loved humor and as a clever wordsmith wrote blurbs of deep thoughts that, at times, turned into longer Facebook posts. He loved growing apples in his front yard and was especially proud when he achieved a great harvest. He loved magic, suduko, cryptograms, juggling and writing songs.
He was preceded in death by numerous extended family members and his Dad.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Rosalie, two sons, Max and Nate, brother Nelson, his wife Jill and their daughter, Melissa, brother Eric, his two sons, Isaac and Evan, plus a sister Kristen and her daughter Yi Yan.
On Friday Feb. 3, 2023, there will be a Vigil at 6 pm with a Mass given on Saturday Feb. 4, 2023, at 10 am at St. Newman’s Center in Laramie Wyoming.
If you wish, please contribute to Parkinson’s Research in Matt’s name.
The lingering of tears, to hear of Matt's passing, that is the feeling. Matt was a gentle soul, and his leaving has left a whole in the world, that can never be filled. My condolences on our loss and to each and every heart that Matt touched.
Thank you Geo.
Dear Rosalie and family, I want you to know that you have my deepest sympathy at the passing of your loved one, Matt . . . Over the years I've thought of all of you very often . . . I think about your attending Bill & Leigh Ann's wedding and what a joy it was to see their friends there . . . I know that Bill loved Matt deeply and is very sad about his passing . . . Matt will never be forgotten. Dicksie May
Thank you Dicksie. Rosalie
I am so sorry to learn of Matt's passing. Matt's humor and his ability to create the funniest spoof songs about the UW Libraries provided great amusement. His many contributions to the Libraries and UW are deeply appreciated. Sending my condolences to Matt's family, friends, and colleagues. Matt will be truly missed.
Thank you Maggie. Rosalie
Matt was one of the funniest and most incisively clever and intelligent -- and all-around talented -- men I ever had the pleasure of knowing, and to lose him is tragic beyond words. I am sure that Matt is now convulsing the angels with laughter, though; he is surely as much a blessing in Heaven as he was here with us. My deep sympathies to his family and all of us who knew and loved him.
I'm saddened to hear of Matt's death. He was a very kind soul and will be greatly missed. He was always nice to talk in school and at the reunions.
What a nice person Matt was. I'm sorry to hear he was sick. My condolences to the family. He will be missed. Prayers. Vicki (Corbin) Heinrich
Matt was an amazing man and I echo Dan's comment, it was my privilege to have been able to call Matt my friend. Matt made the world a better place and will be sorely missed. My condolences to Matt's family.
What a shock! I did not realize that Matt was struggling as he always just wrote realistic funny blogs that all of us enjoyed so much. My condolences to his family as he was such an amazingly talented and kind man.
I am so sorry for your loss. I have nothing but good memories of Matt growing up. He was a good person and will be missed greatly.
This hurts my heart and I will miss the weekly Matt posts on Facebook as they are truly a bright spot in my week! See you on the other side my friend.
Matt had a way of looking at the world that was uniquely his, and his presence made the place just a bit brighter. It's always hard when good people leave us, and it is even harder when they are someone as good as Matt Sprinkle. Sail on, my friend. I hope you have found the peace you so well deserve.
Although words at this time are difficult to process, please find comfort in knowing others care about you. Our son Brian so enjoyed playing drums to Matt's guitar in various bands. Our granddaughter Brianna loved spending time with your family during sleepovers so many years ago. You have our sincere sympathy. Arlene and Ed Cassidy
Rosalie: I am so very sorry to learn of your husbands' passing and I know that if she were able, Darline would want to express her most heart-felt sympathy to you and your family for your loss, as well.
Thank you, Ted and Darline. Rosalie
So saddened to hear that Matt has left this plane. He was a great person, and a wonderful soul. I am so glad I got to work with him at the library. Peace and love. Catch ya on the flip side.
Thank you, Anne. Rosalie
In hearing of your death, nonetheless, I hear your music and see you smile. Those college days, when I remember, you were there, playing guitar, philosophizing, and generally having a great time. I cannot think of Laramie without thinking of you, Ray and me up to something fun and a little illegal. It’s been 37 years. It was rare in all that time, to reconnect, but when I visited, like the last time during Jubilee Days, I made it a point to visit, especially to hear you play. The time has passed, my friend, for those bygone days. Perhaps, in the song beyond, where the melodies are sweetest, we will laugh together again and remember all that is good. Carry on.
Thank you, Todd. Thanks' for sharing those good old days. Rosalie
Matt brightened up many days for his coworkers at Coe, sharing his humor, music and kindness.
Thank you, Carol. Yes, indeed. Rosalie
It's so hard when you lose a good, good friend who defines so much of your life, and I feel that deeply with the passing of Matt Sprinkle this past week. I played in a band in the late 80's in Laramie called "The Rituals" and Matt was our guitar player. As far as bands go, we were a big deal -- everyone hired us for all the big gigs. We played a lot. For these several years, every weekend, Matt was there, on stage, on my left hand side. If you're not a musician and haven't been a long-term band situation it's hard to explain how that bond happens--how you look over your shoulder in the middle of a song and there is a big smiling face, loving the life, playing guitar, laughing and nodding at you because you are IN THE GROOVE and jamming and you are both in it TOGETHER. That's how it was with Matt. I remember one particular gig at the Buckhorn Bar back in probably 1990 or something and it was Matt's birthday. He wasn't going to let us forget it, he would play the guitar riff to the song "You Say It's Your Birthday" over and over between songs and sometimes DURING songs. All. Night. Long. That was Matt. Such a huge zest for life and for playing. When I was asked to draw some posters for our band, I made us all into cats because the title track on our record was "All the Cats Agree". Matt's cat persona is right up there with us, on the posters (standing on my left of course), the record jacket, and in some big 8' tall cats I painted for Big Jim Wyatt to hang in his recording studio windows in downtown Laramie. I left Laramie about 1993 and lost touch with most people I knew here, but when I thought about moving back in 2010, I reached out to some of my former musician friends, picked up some gigs and found myself on stage with Matt again, at the Rituals Reunion gig at the Trading Post in Centennial. There he was, on my left side, smiling that huge smile -- singing "96 Tears" and the song he wrote "Quasimodo" where he would smile especially big at the line "Quasimodo -- ringing a bell." I'll miss you my friend, and I will keep these memories close in my heart. Thank you for all of them. Godspeed to you. Peace and love to Matt's family. I am so sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Lisa. Rosalie
This came as a shock to me. My condolences to Matt’s family, and to all his friends and the many whose lives have been touched by him. This world has lost a pretty great and decent guy.
Thank you, Mike. Rosalie
It's hard for me to overstate how much I value the privilege of knowing Matt some forty years. He certainly influenced how I live and perceive life, how one should focus on the moment, and how to keep the ego in check. It's easy for cynicism to creep into our day-to-day lives and Matt was the antidote to that pitfall. And I'm well aware of how many others he affected with his love, compassion, talent and humor. My thoughts are with all his many family members with lots of healing love sent to Rosalie, Max and Nathan. RIP Matt. You will be missed but never forgotten. Dan and Juli, Sheridan, WY
Thank you, Dan., And it's nice seeing you at the service. Rosalie, Max and Nathan.