Matthew
Matthew J. Stratman
d. June 30, 2018
About Matt….
Football! From the start Matt wanted the pads and helmet but we started both boys in flag football for a couple years to gain knowledge of the rules and fundamentals. Stallions football opened up the gates to football with full pads!!! Matt met some of his best and dearest friends from playing on this team. He was awarded the Trent Todd award along with several teammates in the Stallions Organization. Given to boys that played all eligible years. Plains Jr School was the beginning of WEST fever! Playing school football in the 7th & 8h grade was all Matt wanted to do…. Until he was introduced to lacrosse in his 8th grade year. “Mom, this is great. I can run and hit people with a stick.” …so Matt. His freshman year brought many first… it’s high school! Freshman football, Friday Night Lights football in the high school student section, Homecoming Dance, Foreign language classes, meeting new people and deepening friendships. Matt was the kid that wanted to be with his friends above anything else. He couldn’t sit and watch a movie, take naps in the middle of the day or read a book. Matt was always on. He loved to keep active. With the tracker on his phone we could watch him ride through the neighborhoods stopping at friends homes along the way. Somedays he’d collect a pack of friends and they’d ride for hours.
This spring brought football weight training & spring lacrosse at Lakota West. Busy & exciting for Matt. He was falling in love with lacrosse (like he was with football) and was seeing a future playing for years to come. He loved the atmosphere of the culture this club gave him. He was sad knowing his favorite seniors would not be playing with him next year… but summer was looking bright as he had signed up to play with friends on the Velocity travel team.
June 9th was the last time Matt played on the Lakota West Field. He was laughing and having a great time playing in the lacrosse alumni game. It was all in fun and he was just happy to be there! He took his last unassisted breath in that stadium as he ask, “Mom, hold my hand.”
Matt is at peace. He is in Heaven and he is whole. We know this to be true.
Football! From the start Matt wanted the pads and helmet but we started both boys in flag football for a couple years to gain knowledge of the rules and fundamentals. Stallions football opened up the gates to football with full pads!!! Matt met some of his best and dearest friends from playing on this team. He was awarded the Trent Todd award along with several teammates in the Stallions Organization. Given to boys that played all eligible years. Plains Jr School was the beginning of WEST fever! Playing school football in the 7th & 8h grade was all Matt wanted to do…. Until he was introduced to lacrosse in his 8th grade year. “Mom, this is great. I can run and hit people with a stick.” …so Matt. His freshman year brought many first… it’s high school! Freshman football, Friday Night Lights football in the high school student section, Homecoming Dance, Foreign language classes, meeting new people and deepening friendships. Matt was the kid that wanted to be with his friends above anything else. He couldn’t sit and watch a movie, take naps in the middle of the day or read a book. Matt was always on. He loved to keep active. With the tracker on his phone we could watch him ride through the neighborhoods stopping at friends homes along the way. Somedays he’d collect a pack of friends and they’d ride for hours.
This spring brought football weight training & spring lacrosse at Lakota West. Busy & exciting for Matt. He was falling in love with lacrosse (like he was with football) and was seeing a future playing for years to come. He loved the atmosphere of the culture this club gave him. He was sad knowing his favorite seniors would not be playing with him next year… but summer was looking bright as he had signed up to play with friends on the Velocity travel team.
June 9th was the last time Matt played on the Lakota West Field. He was laughing and having a great time playing in the lacrosse alumni game. It was all in fun and he was just happy to be there! He took his last unassisted breath in that stadium as he ask, “Mom, hold my hand.”
Matt is at peace. He is in Heaven and he is whole. We know this to be true.
Matt is beloved son of Ron and Julie Stratman. Loving brother of Eva, Tom and Katie Stratman. Dear grandson of Larry and Shirley Wygant of South Bend, Indiana. Preceded in death by grandparents, Elmer Jr. and Mary Stratman of Fairfield, Ohio. Passed away Saturday, June 30, 2018 at the age of 15. A funeral service will be held at the Lakota West High School Gym, 8940 Union Centre Blvd, West Chester, OH 45069 on Thursday, July 5th at 7 p.m. (doors will open at 6 p.m.) Following the service, please join Matt’s family as we walk him through the West Stadium. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the AVM Research Foundation, 179 Windfair Loop, Montgomery, TX 77316 or to the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati, 350 Erkenbrecher Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229, or to a Local Youth Sports Organization of donor’s choice.
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