And another year passes without Matt in our lives. Join us in spirit at UG2 this year, Matt. Your friends and colleagues will raise a glass (or two) to you, and the joys of managing oceanographic data. My heart soars like an eagle.

Hard to believe it’s been another year. I still miss your encyclopedic knowledge of all things ocean data related every day. I hope you’re cool with the way we’re carrying on.  We’ll meet again. 

Thinking of you today, my friend. I hope that you are at peace. I'm reposting this tribute from five years ago because it just seems so you. When I smell oak smoke in the distance, I wonder if it's you testing yet another brisket technique. Fair winds...

"Los Angeles...he walks again by night. Out of the fog and into the smog. Relentlessly. Ruthlessly. (I wonder where Ruth is?) Doggedly. (bark bark) Towards his weekly meeting with the unknown. At 4th and Drucker he turns left. At Drucker and 4th he turns right. He crosses MacArthur Park and walks into a great sandstone building. (smack) "

Matt was one of the very few people I knew that would have instantly started trading lines with me from that Firesign Theatre sketch. The last time I saw Matt was in Mobile, and as we waited for the photographer to get our group picture I quietly said 'Where's your school spirit?' Matt somehow heard me and promptly answered with 'In the rumble seat, of course! Want a snort?' We went back and forth with Firesign for about five minutes, to the great consternation of those around us.

I will miss Matt's humor, his vast knowledge of all things data, and his conviction that each developer should have his or her own toolbox and not be told with which brushes to paint. I will miss you, my friend.

Tell Nick Danger the CodeMonkey says 'Greetings', and I look forward to once again being able to raise a glass of school spirit with you.

Miss you every day my data geek friend. 

Happy birthday dear friend.

Happy Birthday, Matt... another year has passed. I just used your copy of the book 'Data Analysis Methods in Physical Oceanography. ' Miss you every day. Keep the smokers fired and the brisket coming!

Happy birthday, Matt. I bet you have the smokers fired up and some good beer chilling. Wish you were here so we could share BBQ and talk oceanographic data. Miss you every day, my friend.

It's hard to believe it's been three years. You were such a kind soul. I still have the random thought it where I say to myself, "I need to share this with Matt" or "Matt would appreciate this". Know that you are missed and still remembered.

And another year passes... hard to believe it's been three years since you left us, Matt. I think you're probably glad you haven't been here during this past year, as your love of travel would have suffered greatly given the COVID restrictions. Not a day goes by that I don't miss your expertise and friendship. Fair skies and following seas, my friend.

Happy Birthday, Matt! Miss you each and every day. I only hope that I can provide a fraction of the oceanographic data processing wisdom that supplied to such a wide audience. Cheers, my friend.

I miss your wisdom, compassion and knowledge of all things oceanographic every day Matt. Wish you were still here but am happy that I was able to spend several years learning what you had to teach. I’m sure you have the briskets and ribs smoking and are planning a great feast. Until we meet again. Your friend, Codemonkey.

Happy Birthday my friend... your legacy lives on!

Miss you Matt! Sending warm thoughts to your family today.

Missing you buddy....your work continues to inspire and motivate all of us in the oceanic community. Thoughts and prayers to Matt's family during this time.

Matt was a pioneer in observing systems and the associated data infrastructure required for collection and dissemination. GCOOS, and the IOOS association as a whole, miss him dearly but his work and legacy lives on. God rest his soul!!

I had the good fortune to work with Matt, and learn from him, as we learned and organized and taught about metadata. He was genuine and kind, and did much for our community (and many others!). Aside from the monks practicing "data metta" slide, my most telling memory of Matt was giving a metadata tutorial to 3 people. Matt deftly turned the plan around, so we learned what they cared about. He helped us all take something nice away from that exchange, for which I will always be grateful.

I was shocked to hear only today the sad news of Matt's passing, nearly a month away. I worked closely with Matt on GoMRI data management team for about five years. Matt was a respected oceanographer and a pioneer in data management. He was a gentleman, who treated all well. I will miss his intellect, friendship and sense of humor. My condolences to his family and friends.

This is a tough loss for me to take. The last time I caught up with Matt, just the week before, I’m sure a big part of the cheer I took away was the expectation that there are surely many more years of friendship ahead. I’m still shocked at the loss. My tribute to Matt is like so many who have written here - a strong, gentle, funny, open-minded and open-hearted professional and friend, a kindred musical spirit, of many years - who also taught me a thing or two. And by those words I mean specific times and memories and laughs and insights that I hold as my personal memories of Matt. I’m left with the stark feeling that its a person’s whole life that ends, so much vaster than just my window to him. I appreciate the messages that loss and comfort go together. It will take a while for me. I want to extend to those closest to Matt and his fullness of life, my appreciation of the man, and my sense of how tough it is to lose him.

Goodbye my friend. I will miss you very much. Rest in peace.
My sincerest condolences to his family and to all IOOSians.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. (Matthew 5:4).

Sorry to hear of your loss. One of the clearest teachings in the Bible is that dead loved ones will return to life. John 5:28, 29 says, "all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out." What an amazing promise.

I had the privilege of working with Matt for several years on a collaborative data project. He was a brilliant, skilled professional, but what I remember most is his contagious enthusiasm and good humor. The room always lit up a little more when Matt was in it. I will miss him, as a scientist and as a person.

I’m still trying to find the words to describe how I feel about the loss of this great man. I met Matt for the first time in the good ole O&m building elevator. We had many conversations in that elevator; his music preference being one of them. He was an amazing person in his heart and brilliant when it came to his job. I missed him when I left TAMU and I miss him more now. My condolences to his family and wife who he loved dearly. Rest In Peace Matt ❤️

Even know I have only known Matt for a short period of time he was one who left me with a quick positive impression. He was truly a professional and a leader in Data Management not just at GCOOS but across all IOOS (we were the fortunate regional association to have him). I enjoyed talking with him about life in general in after hour cocktails at our GCOOS meetings. I know his recent marriage meant a lot to him. His work will live on as well as memories of Matt. God bless his family and may the great memories help in getting you through this unexpected loss and days ahead!

Matt and I met some 7 years ago when I joined the GCOOS Team. I was immediately drawn to his intellect, dedication, and his unique humor. His passing is a loss I (we) will feel personally and professionally for quite some time. My heart goes out to his families, both those personal and professional, of which he was a cornerstone.

I met Matt in 2007 when I was with University of Miami when we were paired to design an information system for one of the Caribbean countries. In 2008, he invited me to start the GCOOS Data Portal. The early development stages of the data portal were not without us debating on issues. I am most impressed with how he articulates his thoughts and remains open to new ideas. Matt respects the expertise across functional silos, and this rare attribute, made my job so much more comfortable, and I enjoyed working with Matt. He is a colleague and a friend you want on your side, not only during good days when you can share moments in life, laugh at your mistakes, share deep secrets and share a shot of martini or two but especially when the sea is rough. Matt is always there to cover your rear.

I will miss him in many ways!

A man of intellect, a leading visionary for ocean data management and well versed in many areas. Always a pleasure to discuss life. His towering presence will be missed by all.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,

I starting working with Matt in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and during the early days of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. He was a guiding hand in establishing the data management for that program. Matt did a lot of important things for science in the Gulf, and he went about it in such an affable way. I’m going to miss Matt professionally, like so many will, but I will miss his camaraderie and kindness, always. My condolences to Matt's family.

Oh my God...what a horrific loss for us all. Always remembering your professionalism, dry sense of humor and friendship. May you rest in peace and find comfort in the hands of the Lord. God Bless you Matt and family.

Deepest condolences to Matt’s family and friends. I knew Matt since the earliest pre-IOOS days and he was always a generous colleague — he was the canonical Ocean Data manager that others aspired to be like. Last time I saw him in Mobile this winter, Matt was talking about his plans to enjoy his upcoming retirement. His loss is heartbreaking to his family and all of us...

It is still having difficulty finding words of my expression, but he is the greatest mentor in my life. My sincere condolences to Matt's family and colleagues.

If our lives are measured by the people in them, then my life is all the richer from knowing Matt. I met Matt in 2002 at a meeting at the NOAA Coastal Services Center in Charleston, SC. As fellow ocean data enthusiasts, we bonded over a marine metadata web page that I had created, but didn’t think anyone else had even seen, let alone used. Matt had. For 15 years, from my time at MBARI to working with GCOOS, I was incredibly fortunate to work with Matt. He was thoughtful, committed, helpful, and realistic. He was also a wonderful friend. He shared jokes, gardening tips, and a glass of wine or two. He loved to listen to my crazy stories about living in The Netherlands with my husband and two young boys. He particularly enjoyed the tale of me putting the boys, groceries, Orangina, beer, and a 70-pound dog in our cargo bike (called a “bakfiets”) and biking (ever so slowly) to the beach. When I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, Matt reached out to me, despite the fact that one of his brothers had died from the same disease. I imagine it was incredibly difficult for Matt to discuss, but he was still there for me and I will always treasure that. I will miss him greatly. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

I only got to know Matt this past year or so as I recently moved to the Gulf. However, his upbeat attitude, humor, and dedication to the field were undeniable, and made it a pleasure to work with him. His presence, knowledge, and contributions will be sorely missed.

To Matt's family, colleagues, and friends, Condolences. A loss for us all. Matt's legacy of high-quality science and his great human qualities remain inspirations for all. John W. Farrington, Dean emeritus, WHOI, and a GOMRI colleague.

"Los Angeles...he walks again by night. Out of the fog and into the smog. Relentlessly. Ruthlessly. (I wonder where Ruth is?) Doggedly. (bark bark) Towards his weekly meeting with the unknown. At 4th and Drucker he turns left. At Drucker and 4th he turns right. He crosses MacArthur Park and walks into a great sandstone building. (smack) "

Matt was one of the very few people I knew that would have instantly started trading lines with me from that Firesign Theatre sketch. The last time I saw Matt was in Mobile, and as we waited for the photographer to get our group picture I quietly said 'Where's your school spirit?' Matt somehow heard me and promptly answered with 'In the rumble seat, of course! Want a snort?'  We went back and forth with Firesign for about five minutes, to the great consternation of those around us.

I will miss Matt's humor, his vast knowledge of all things data, and his conviction that each developer should have his or her own toolbox and not be told with which brushes to paint. I will miss you, my friend.

Tell Nick Danger the CodeMonkey says 'Greetings', and I look forward to once again being able to raise a glass of school spirit with you.

I'm sitting here staring at the computer that Matt bought for me- we loved this computer! Every time I'd see him we would sit together and make the computer do cool stuff. Although I've only known Matt for a year, he instantly became a mentor to me. His expertise and knowledge was profound but everyone knows that. What struck me about Matt was his ability to make you feel like you were just as special as him. I looked forward to every call and every meeting when he was a part of it. This is going to be hard but Matt would want us to continue on with the work he paved the path for. I'll never forget his support and friendship..and I'll always think of him when I visit New Orleans. Hope you're sipping a gin on the rocks my friend, your cool and classy ways will always be cherished. My heartfelt condolences to Matt's wife and family.

A kind person with always a kind word.

Conference calls were always more enjoyable if Matt were involved, and that's saying a lot. We met face-to-face only a handful of times, but I knew him more through calls and emails. I will miss him!

Matt was a wonderful man and will be truly missed. I used to laugh and roll my eyes after he would put up the final slide of any presentation. That image will always remind me of him. I will miss his council and support greatly.

I will forever remember Matt as a kind, gentle man who always greeted me with genuine joy to see me. He brought to the IOOS community sage wisdom and a fantastic sense of humor. I will really miss him. My condolences to Matt's family as well as his GCOOS and TAMU colleagues and friends.

Matt was a leader in the data world. The GRP will miss his behind-the-scenes guidance, especially our top data staffer Lauren Showalter. Loved the 4 monks photo ...

I'm so shocked and saddened to hear about Matt. He was wonderful, kind, super smart, and had a fabulous sense of humor. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues. Amy

Rest In Peace Matt. You will be missec

I first met Matt in 1984, when a slight employment misunderstanding in ocean engineering led me to seek further enlightenment in the oceanography department. Smooth-talking devil Bill Merrill took about 30 seconds to convince me to switch to the oceanography side, and when I first visited the 6th floor I felt most diminutive upon meeting Matt and Mark Johnson, both towering human beings who made my neck hurt attempting to look up far enough to talk to them.

In retrospect, it was the best decision I've ever made. I was privileged to learn from half a dozen of the best teachers I've ever encountered, and they were all physical oceanographers. And one of my fellow students was Matt. Our paths were parallel over the next decade or so as we both finished our coursework, got reeled in by the Applied Research Corporation (ARC) group locally led by Tom Crowley and Gerry North, and returned to the department after ARC imploded. Then the competition to see who could finish his doctorate began, which Matt won easily. I followed him a few years later, mainly via massive threats from my committee members.

Matt and I had a mutual intetest in gardening, especially when it came to hot peppers. I happily remember the first time we each visited each other's gardens when he lived over near Harvey and I on Foch Sreet. When I moved away from Foch to a place without any garden space I gardened vicariously through him for several years, until Barbara and I built a place out of town with plenty of gardening space in 2011. It wasn't until last year that we had Matt and others out to see the place, but I was very pleased when he enjoyed what I'd done with the garden as much as I did. When he and Eileen moved to a new place I kept riding him about how many raised beds he was going to put in.  Just a few weeks ago he gleefully informed me that he'd just finished a large L-shaped raised bed at his new place, and that he'd bought 20 large bags of perlite as part of a custom soil with which he was going to fill it. He also inquired about any spare plants I might have for him. I said there'd always be spares for him and that I'd be more than happy to help him with his new raised bed. That I'll not be able to do this makes me as sad as anything.

We've been calling each other duderonomy in the halls of oceanography for a very, very long time. Goodbye, duderonomy, and I know you'll find happy trails wherever you are, and probably find stranger and more fun music than I could. Party well with your brothers and Frank Zappa, and I'll be along soon enough to join the celebration.

I met Matt in 1989 when Worth Nowlin hired me. I always enjoyed working with him and learned quite a bit about computers from him. He will be greatly missed.

I am fortunate to have had Matt as a friend and colleague. I was always in awe of his skills and knowledge in all aspects of ocean data management, and grateful to benefit from them. Matt was a great person to converse with, whatever the topic, because of his intellect and sense of humor. He is missed very much. My sympathies to his family.

Matt Howard was a quiet man with a towering intellect. He was a foundational pillar to the GCOOS-Regional Association and a major contributor to its success. Eternal Rest grant onto him. May he Rest In Peace.

An excellent oceanographer, creative thinker, data wizard and dear friend.

Nancy

I was shocked and saddened to learn of Matt's passing. He could always be counted on for enjoyable, no-nonsense talk and was a big part of what made my visits to DC memorable. I'm very glad to have known him, if only in part.

Although Matt and I only directly worked with each other for 4 years, the respect and trust I had in him made it seem like we had been working together for decades. He was kind, funny, and always there to back me up. He was my wingman.

Matt's leadership in the IOOS community will be sorely missed, as will his perspective, humor and welcoming nature. My very sincere sympathies to all his family and colleagues.