Matthew G. Calder

Matthew G. Calder

September 17, 1971 - July 2, 2018

Matthew Gunnison Calder (Matt) was born in Vincenza, Italy to Nancy Celich Calder and Alexander Calder III. After living part of his childhood in New Orleans, the family moved to New Jersey where Matt attended Montclair Kimberly Academy and Montclair High School.

After graduating from Lehigh University, he worked in New York City and, at the wedding of his cousin, Evanne, in Newport, Rhode Island in 1997 met one of the bride’s closest friends, Jennifer Brushaber, and the two married on June 17, 2000 in Madison, CT before making their home in NYC.

They created a beautiful family of three sons, Logan, 16; Grady, 13; and Beckett, 12 and eventually settled in Westfield, NJ in 2004.

Matt was born to be a father. That gift benefited not only his own three boys but the many, many children he coached over the years in his role as a hockey coach for both Cranford Hockey Club and the Westfield Hockey Club. He was passionately devoted to the kids in his care, both on and off the ice as well as his many nieces and nephews, often being the dad in the pool tossing them into the air.

Matt had the best laugh and yet managed to tell the very worst “dad” jokes.

He will be missed beyond what words can capture.

Matt is survived by both his parents, Sandy and Nancy Calder; his wife, Jennifer Brushaber Calder and their three sons, Logan Thomas Calder, Graydon Alexander Calder and Beckett Matthew Calder; His lifelong best friend, more of a brother, Nick Graziano and wife Shauna Graziano and their two children; His Aunt Christie and cousins David, Tina, Evanne and Jenny and their spouses and children along with his in-laws, Thomas and Judy Brushaber, Sheila and Dennis Blank; four sisters in laws (Jill Hiscock, Katie Simeoni, Kim Weingartz and Liz Tremblay) and four brother in laws (Timothy Hiscock, Mike Simeoni, Chris Weingartz and Brian Tremblay) along with many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Westfield Hockey Club.  Information can be found at www.westfieldicehockey.net

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