Funeral Services for Matthew Grant Johnston, 35, Lawrence, will be 2 pm, Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the First Baptist Church, 1330 Kasold Drive, Lawrence. A Visitation will be from 4-6 pm, Friday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
Matthew Grant Johnston, born June 20, 1989, passed away suddenly in his sleep on November 9, 2024. He was the beloved husband of Kylee Johnston and the son of Richard and Lynette Johnston. He is also survived by his twin brother Christopher (husband of Sarah and dad of Pearl).
Matthew was born in Wichita, Kansas and went to school in Newton and Goessel. He graduated high school in 2008 and then attended K-State, top in his class with a Masters in Architecture in 2013. He worked at Treanor and then Clark-Huesemann, both in Lawrence.
He was great at his work, and he also loved putting together plastic model cars and tanks, as well as playing guitar, reading, and listening to records.
Matthew met his wife June 16, 2018 and they both knew they had found their perfect match. They eloped in Florence, Italy July 20, 2019 and spent a wonderful honeymoon in Tuscany. Matthew was the most caring man. He was insightful, loving, funny, intelligent, an artist, a sharp dresser, and had the best laugh. Everyone who knew him loved him. Kylee is thankful to God for bringing her and Matthew together. He always took good care of her, and she is thankful that their six years together were full of love, joy, traveling, laughter, and always interesting conversations.
Matthew was a baptized believer in our Lord Jesus and was active in the First Baptist church. He enjoyed volunteering for anything at church and, especially the mobile food pantry, LINK, and Family Promise. He also taught youth group and led book studies about caring for God’s beautiful creation.
He is gone too soon and will be mourned and missed by so many.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Family Promise of Lawrence, KS.
Ret easy, young man, your Earthly job is well done. Condolences 💐 and prayers 🙏🕊️🪽 for his family, friends, loved ones.
I had the honor of sitting next to Matthew at our architecture firm. During that time he was not only a great teacher and mentor, but also a DJ, a jokester, and an always friendly face to be greeted by. Matthew helped to hone my own skills AND my music taste to ones of great quality. We bonded over the fact that his wife, Kylee, had taught me in High School, and now he was in turn continuing my learning in my adult life. I cannot repay the wealth of knowledge and kindness both Matthew and Kylee had shown me in Lawrence, but I will hold these memories close to heart, forever.
Richard and Lynette, we are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
Matthew was a true friend, and I count myself lucky to have spent many hours with him working on design projects together. My sincere condolences to Kylee, his entire family, and numerous friends and communities he connected. Matthew, you were one of a kind and will be deeply missed.
I was the high school Art teacher for Matt and Chris at Goessel High School. I remember them as a good Art students, creative, inquisitive, a joy to have in class. As a teacher you hope to make an impact on students. Both of these guys made an impact on me. Good memories. Go Bluebirds. I wish for the family a good time of storytelling.
Love and prayers for Matthew’s family, so very sorry – way too soon!
We mourn Matthew’s loss and celebrate his many contributions to the multiple campus projects that benefit our students, staff, and community.
Matthew was a good man and we would do well to serve God’s children as he did. Kylee, keep him in your heart. Our hearts and prayers are with you. God gives you strength. Matthew would want you to keep looking for ways to be of service. Do not give up doing good; you will sow in tears, but reap a harvest of righteousness. Rest assured, Matthew did his part for the Lord. I believe that it was a job well done, and he enters as God’s true and faithful servant. I love you, Sister.
Sending much love and peace to you, Kylee. May he rest in peace.
Love you Kylee. I’m lifting you up in Love, as well as all that mourn this loss to the One who holds us all in the palm of his hands. 💙
Richard, I am so sorry to hear about the sudden loss of your son. I can’t imaging what you are going through. Rest assure God will comfort you and your family, but you may not feel that right away. It took me years to realize this. Peace my friend. Hugs and prayers.
Kylee, we can’t imagine going through such a tragedy. Be assured our prayers are with you.
Kylee, I am so very sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
We are so sorry to hear of your family’s loss. We will be thinking of you all as you remember all of the happy shared times and support each other.
It was a great blessing from God, well beyond my ability to adequately express in words, to have been gifted with such a man as Matthew, to be my Son – in – Law. Travel well and go rest high upon the mountain! I will miss your dearly, ever young and now eternal one!
Matthew was such a bright spot in our office. He was always the first one into the office each day, he would start up the music, and get to work making our projects better with every thing he did. I admired his dedication to design and technical precision and his mentoring of everyone else in the office. He was a great resource to all of us, and a rising star in the profession. We will miss him greatly. We are grateful to have known him for as long as we did, and thank you Kylee and Richard and Lynette for sharing him with us.
So sorry to hear about your loss Richard. Prayers for you and your family’s healing from this devastating loss.
Lynette, Richard, Chris and the rest of your family. We were so shocked and naturally saddened by the sudden death of your precious son and brother. We have such fond memories of the boys from Scouts. May your wonderful memories of him help comfort you and also the assurance that he is in God’s arms
I was shocked and saddened by the news. Matthew’s guitar lessons brightened my life. I will miss our conversations about music and everything else. Our weekly lessons helped us both get through the Covid-19 pandemic.