Matthew Shepard Beyeler passed away on May 9, 2026, in Irvine, California, after bravely fighting a lengthy illness. He was born on July 21, 1947, in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and lived a life defined by service, curiosity, loyalty, and deep love for his family.

Matthew, the eldest of four (with Marc, Merry and Maggie), grew up in Manhattan Beach, California, where he spent his days racing bicycles through the neighborhood with friends and taking his younger siblings to the beach while their parents were at work. He attended Mira Costa High School before entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating with the class of 1969. He went on to serve two tours in Vietnam as part of MAC-V-SOG (Recon Team Montana) based in Kontum. As an Airborne Green Beret, he carried out dangerous missions with courage and dedication, earning the Bronze Star for his service. After Vietnam, Captain Beyeler was stationed in Germany where he met Lydie, his wife of 52 years.

Following his military career, Matthew worked as a civil and cost scheduling engineer for several major construction and engineering firms. He took pride in his work and approached it with the same focus and integrity that guided the rest of his life.

To those who knew him personally, Matthew will be remembered just as much for his warmth and storytelling as for his accomplishments. He had an extraordinary intellectual curiosity and an almost encyclopedic memory, able to recall historical details, family stories, books, music, and conversations with remarkable clarity. Matthew was ChatGPT before it existed. Friends and family often said he would have made an exceptional lecturer or professor because of the way he could explain complex subjects so thoughtfully and bring stories vividly to life. He loved sharing stories from West Point and Vietnam, often mixing humor with reflection, and he had a gift for making difficult moments feel lighter with perfectly timed wit and perspective, a quality he inherited from his father and carried throughout his life. From his mother, he inherited his sense of style, generosity, love of good living, and an appreciation for a well-made margarita (“shaken, not stirred”).

Matthew had a memorable and distinguished voice, and an easy way of making people feel comfortable and welcome. He found joy in life’s simple pleasures: coffee and French pastries, good books, music, scenic drives, skiing, and learning about family history. He was an enthusiastic traveler whose experiences in the Army sparked a lifelong love of seeing the world, eventually taking him to around fifty countries.

Some of his happiest moments were spent with his wife, Lydie Beyeler, enjoying sunset happy hours in Corona del Mar. He was also a devoted father who happily drove his daughters, Brigitte and Lia (and their friends) wherever they needed to go, often all the way to Los Angeles for concerts, even on school nights.

He leaves behind family and friends who will miss him deeply and remember him with love. Matthew is survived by his beloved wife, Lydie Beyeler, his daughters, Brigitte and Lia Beyeler and his loyal cat Sundae. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wade Beyeler and Mary Frances Beyeler.

A viewing will be held on May 22, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at McCormick & Son Mortuaries and Crematory.