Events

Matt Winer Memorial at Reunion

Saturday, May 28, 2005 | View all images

Barry Luke, Brent Sherwood, Bill and Patti Garland, Dan Grossman, and friends celebrate the life of Matt Winer '80.

At 11:30 a.m. on a bright sunny Saturday, friends and classmates gathered in the Wright Hall courtyard to celebrate the life of Matt Winer, a psychiatrist in Hanover, N.H., who died of lung cancer on Saturday, May 21.

Berkeley College roommate Bill Pelto led the informal remembrance, speaking about Matt’s exuberance, sense of adventure and musical skills; Matt was one of Yale’s carillonneurs.

Seth Atlas and Barry Luke brought photos, including shots of Matt’s wife Margaret Sheehan and daughter Molly, 10. The gathering included BK’s Nance Barr, Merrill Wolf, Meryl Macklin, Francesca Gany, Jane Allen, Dan Grossman, Brian Nelson, Bill Garland, Brent Sherwood, Harold Rolfe, Miriam Lewin, and Dave Bergman.

Davenporter Meriamne Singer, a psychiatrist who called Matt her first love and a major influence on her life, announced that she’d arranged through the International Star Registry for a star in the Big Dipper to be named Matthew Steven Terr Winer.

Matt’s funeral and memorial were held later that day in Hanover, N.H. Matt’s illness struck when he was between health plans and his brothers Josh ‘78 and Jonathan ’76 set up a special fund to help the family.

Donations may be sent to: The Matthew Winer Special Needs Trust, c/o Joshua Winer, 144 Moody Street, Building 18, Waltham, MA 02453.

- Jane Allen, Class Secretary