Matthew Hambelton Williams

Matthew Hambelton Williams, 35, of Lenexa, KS passed away Sunday, April 17, 2011. Matt is survived by his wife, Amanda and his children Lillian, Madilyn, Franklin, Alex, Rachel and Caleigh, his parents Richard and Cassandra, and sister, Christina. Matt is also survived by grandparents Gene and Martha Williams and Wilma Hambelton, his mother and father-in-law, Jo Ann and George Armstrong and brother-in-law George T. Armstrong. He was preceded in death by his grandfather William Hambelton.

Matt was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a 1993 graduate of Shawnee Mission West High School. He attended the University of Kansas, earned his Bachelors degree from De Vry University, and worked as a Network Sales Engineer. Matt was a spirited husband, father and son, and will be lovingly missed and remembered.

Matt loved the outdoors - camping, boating, Lake of the Ozarks, water and snow skiing and Montana. He loved to do landscape gardening. He was a Boy Scout and prided himself in always "Being Prepared" and always had a tool for everything. Matt also fancied himself quite the cook, with experience from his days at the Hen House Bakery and Soup Exchange, to his excellent bar-b-que. He had a wonderful mechanical ability, and loved science and all things new and cutting edge. Matt attacked all of these interests with a vengeance - devoured information on every subject, always wanting to learn.

Matt was also a musician. He loved his trumpet and played in both the SM West and the University of Kansas marching bands. His musical tastes were very eclectic - everything from his Grandpa's old albums, classical music and jazz, 60's classic rock n' roll, Bob Marley, and Pink Floyd to his daughter's favorite band, My Chemical Romance. He loved vinyl, and wouldn't give up his turn table. His first concert was the Monkees, and from then on there was nothing he liked better than live music.

Matt was a huge Chicago Bear's fan and never forgot the exciting times of the 1985 Super Bowl. He was a proud Jayhawk. We can't forget Matt's fascination with anything with "wheels" and his "need for speed". Many of you know him by the nickname of "Crash." He'd been going to the Indy 500 every year since he was 7 with the Chicago neighborhood dads and sons. He lived in Hazelwood, a suburb of St. Louis, in Bolingbrook, IL, a suburb of Chicago and finally made his home here in Lenexa.

Visitation will be Friday, April 22, 2011 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at Amos Family Funeral Home, Shawnee, KS. Funeral services will be on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 10:00 am at Amos Family Funeral Home, followed by internment at Maple Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, KS.

Donations in Matt's memory may be made to "Matt Williams' Family Fund", Think Mutual Bank, Box 7437, Rochester, MN 55903-9894 for his children's education.