Dr. Matthew Grade, age 71, passed away on Feb. 2 at UW Hospital.  Matthew was born to John and Shirley Grade. As a child, Matthew identified an important piece of his life's purpose: working as a family physician, as his father had before him.

One of the many remarkable things about Matthew was that he realized his ambitions so well. As a high school student, he was accepted into a prestigious six-year combined undergraduate and medical school program at Northwestern University. He completed his residency at UW-Madison.

He saw patients in many rural clinics throughout his 48-year career. He spent the most time at the Black Earth Clinic, Prairie Clinic, and Richland Center Hospital and Clinics, where he was proud to work with longtime friend Dr. Neil Bard. His final day of work was just four days before his passing, and he remarked on what an energizing day it had been.

Matthew was proud to deliver many babies in Black Earth and Sauk Prairie, and he focused on serving nursing home patients in addition to his family practice. While continuing his father's tradition, he cut his own path, applying the latest developments in medical science, especially those in nutrition as preventative medicine and in alternative medicine. During a time when the medical field was changing significantly, Matthew prioritized listening to his patients and making sure all their questions were addressed. For a time, he co-hosted a local-access TV show on medicine for the public.

He also had a lifelong passion for writing and making music. He sang, played guitar, bodhran, mandolin, banjo, tin whistle/recorder and piano at gatherings, in concerts, and on recordings. In the early 2000s, he wrote the up-tempo Irish song "Roguery" and recorded it in studio with his family. He celebrated his 65th and 70th birthdays with "senior recitals" in which he, family and friends performed.

Matthew prioritized environmental conservation. He and former wife Marian Kane were early backyard composters and drivers of the Toyota Prius hybrid, Matthew and his family kept an organic plot at the Prairie du Sac community garden for over 15 years, and he enjoyed hiking and clearing invasive species in recent years with dear friend Cathy Chybowski.

Matthew encouraged his children to pursue fields they cared about, too. He taught at and organized fundraisers for their cooperative elementary school, Pleasant River; frequently attended his daughter Brighin's trumpet performances and gigs; printed and read peer-reviewed psychology journal articles his daughter Finola authored, and picked up weekly copies of his son Liam's newspaper articles.

Matthew was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Sam, Tom, Margaret, and Michael. He is survived by his three children, Liam, Finola, and Brighin Kane-Grade; former wife, Marian Kane; dear friend, Cathy Chybowski; siblings Johanna (Jack) Perkins, Ben (Sandy) Grade, Andy (Trish) Grade, Mary (Pete) Reynolds, Charles (Barb) Grade, and Jean Grade; special people including Thom Krystofiak and Bryan Félix; and many cousins, aunts, nieces, nephews, colleagues and friends.

The family would like to thank the TLC ICU medical team for their care.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at 11:00 am at St. Thomas Aquinas, 602 Everglade Dr., Madison with Fr. Eric Neilsen celebrating.  A luncheon will be held at the church following mass.  Visitation will be held from 9:30 am until the time of mass at the church, visitation will also be held the evening before at Hooverson Funeral Home, 251 Water St., Sauk City from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm.

Matthews Funeral Mass will be live streamed at the time of service on St. Thomas Aquinas youtube site.   https://www.youtube.com/c/StThomasAquinasChurchMadison/

Online condolences may be made at hooversonfuneralhomes.com