Matthew Speigel

Matthew Wayne Speigel, 46, a long-time resident of Hendersonville, TN, entered Heaven's gate on April 18, 2016 to join his beloved brother to serve as a family guardian angel. Matthew was known for his soft heart, silly jokes and dry wit, his love of cats, music and theater, and his abiding love of hanging out with family.

Matthew was born in Panama City on March 10, 1970, and lived in Tokyo until he was 5 years old where he was involved in modeling and television commercials. He spent most of his youth in Belleville, IL. He graduated from Belleville East High School, attended the University of Northern Colorado, received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and was awarded a teaching certificate from the TEFL Institute at the State University of New York.

He joined the U. S. Navy after high school and served as an Operations Specialist in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. After receiving his bachelor's degree in Chattanooga, he moved to Hendersonville, TN where he was a substitute teacher in elementary, secondary and high school classrooms, and a volunteer at the First Baptist Church before moving to Bangkok to teach English as a second language for a brief period. He moved to Lewisville, TX in 2014 where he proudly owned his first house, treasured his time with family, and cherished every chance to eat his much-loved spicy Asian cuisine - the hotter the better!

Matthew was preceded in death by grandparents and his beloved older brother Michael Shane Speigel. He is survived by his son Nathan, Westminster, Colorado; daughter Mikayla, Ringgold, GA; his mother Annette Marie Bales Speigel, Apache Junction, AZ; father and step-mother Wayne and Pamela Speigel , Coppell, TX; step-brother Michael Darkoch, Coppell, TX; and many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends far and wide.

The family is eternally grateful to the Dallas VA Medical Center doctors and staff for their loving care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice in honor of Matthew's big heart for those in need.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, April 23th at Rolling Oaks Funeral Home, 400 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, TX. Rev. Nathan Tucker will officiate. A graveside service and burial will be at the Hendersonville Memorial Gardens, Hendersonville, TN at 12pm on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.