Matthew Wade Peterson

Our beloved Matthew Wade Peterson passed peacefully on March 26, 2026 surrounded by loved ones. He was born on December 8, 1961 in Rochester, NY to Jack and Nancy Peterson. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Karen Salyards Peterson and his siblings Eric and Carrie Peterson. Although it feels like he left us too soon, he will be remembered by so many different people with diverse backgrounds from many unique places. Matthew was a rare and wonderful spirit that brought joy, solace, and silliness to so many people. It is a testament to his lifetime of building community that so many of us are connected through our friendship with Matthew.

A sign that hung in his office speaks to how he strived to live his life, “Holy is any place where it is safe to tell your story. Holy is any place that creates justice.” Many of us are thankful for the safe place that Matthew provided for us.

Matt was a lover of travel, books, theater, movies, singing, religious studies, philosophy, sacred spaces, justice, and all things historical. From a young age, he performed in numerous plays and musicals, including when he was a student at Horseheads High School and Allegheny College. One of his favorite roles was playing Jud Fry in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. Matthew also loved to sing and was involved in numerous singing groups throughout his life. Most notably, he was a member of the chorus for Opera Western Reserve’s performance of Don Giovanni and The Cleveland Opera’s performance of Turandot.

Some of Matt’s happiest times were when he was surrounded by people, often engaging in deep discussions or playing cards, but always accompanied by laughter. He loved to travel and told many stories of his journeys to 38 different countries. He led high school and adult volunteers to the Dominican Republic as part of the “Good Samaritan Project” from 1994 to 2002, which helped to build a hospital and assist medical professionals traveling to remote villages. He also led and participated in service trips to Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

Matthew had a passion for learning and teaching. He taught numerous college courses in history and religious studies. He also enjoyed enlightening all of us with his vast knowledge of history, religion, and movies. He received degrees from the following institutions of higher learning:

Allegheny College, BA in American Studies, 1984.

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Masters of Divinity, 1991.

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Masters of Sacred Theology, 2008.

University of Pittsburgh, PhD work in Religious Studies.

In his professional life Matthew had a varied and successful career as a pastor, youth leader, professor, scholar, writer, and activist. He is a published author and wrote for numerous academic collections. As a pastor he served at the following churches:

Interim Associate Pastor, Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian, 1991–1993.

Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adults, Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 1993-2002.

Associate Pastor for Youth, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 2002-2007.

Parish Associate, Church of the Western Reserve, 2017-2020.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends invite you to make contributions in his name to Bridges to Bateys or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). You may contribute directly to Bridges to Bateys through this link https://onrealm.org/FairmountPresby/give/batey105.

Bridges to Bateys is a non-profit founded in 2014 that is a direct outgrowth of the work trips that Matthew led to the Dominican Republic. Bridges to Bateys was conceived by CHEER youth group alumni and members of Fairmount Presbyterian Church who participated in the trips that Matt led. From its inception, Matthew was involved as a supporter and as an advisor. Bridges to Bateys is committed to a 25 year partnership with the residents living in a remote village, know as Batey 105, in the Dominican Republic with a mission to provide educational opportunities, furnish access to medical care, improve nutrition, upgrade village infrastructure, support governmental advocacy, and facilitate US based work trips.

A Memorial Service for Matthew will be held on Saturday, May 30th at 2:00 pm at The Church of the Western Reserve located at 30500 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44124 followed by a “Matthew Gathering” in the Firelands Room down the hall from the sanctuary. Matthew requested that we do not wear black because this is a celebration of his life. Before he passed, Matthew communicated to us that he would like a space for his family and friends to gather and share stories about him. This “Matthew Gathering” will be led by CHEER alumni to provide a loose structure to facilitate any member of his community of friends to share a one-minute story about Matthew. After the facilitated storytelling, please stay for an informal gathering, where we can meet each other and perhaps share a longer version of the one-minute stories. You do not need to tell a story in order to attend the gathering. All are welcome to join and simply listen.

Although he is no longer with us, Matthew continues to live through the lives of the thousands of youths, parishioners, students, family, and friends that he supported, counseled, and advised. The world is truly a little bit better because he lived.