Matthew Eric Barnes

Matthew Eric Barnes, age 30, passed away on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, in Albuquerque, NM. Matt was born in Lansdale, PA, on Thursday, February 7, 1991. He is survived by his beloved wife, Alexandra Pearce; his parents, Ronald and Linda Barnes; and his siblings, Victoria and Christopher Barnes.

Matt attended Great Valley High School, Malvern, PA, and at graduation, received the United States Congressional Citizenship Award. He was a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He was active in the youth group at his church and, as a Boy Scout in Troop 76, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

After high school, Matt attended Penn State University, State College, PA, where he earned a bachelor degree in Biobehavioral Health with minors in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. In State College, he volunteered as an EMT. At Penn State, Matt met the love of his life and his future wife, Alexandra Pearce. Matt and Alex were married in Santa Fe, NM, on Monday, November 13, 2017.

After graduation from Penn State, Matt and Alex moved to St. Louis where Alex pursued graduate study and Matthew earned his Paramedic Certificate and worked on an ambulance and in a busy emergency room. After Alex received her degree, they moved to New Mexico where Alex earned her PhD and Matt worked in the emergency room of Presbyterian Rust Medical Center, Albuquerque.

Matt worked tirelessly, enduring great stress and diminished staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. His co-workers were an amazing team of health-care providers who formed a tight family bond. Matt was nicknamed "Dr. Barnes" because he cared deeply about his patients, and he was always seen studying a medical book on his breaks. At the time of his passing, Matt was planning to attend medical school.

A "Celebration of Life" was held in Sandia Park, NM, on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Matt's family, high school, and college friends, and many wonderful people he knew in St. Louis, Socorro and Albuquerque gathered to remember the many ways that Matthew touched their lives. He was truly a remarkable person. We celebrate his compassion and empathy, his easy-going nature and wonderful sense of humor, and his unrestrained laughter and joy of life. He will be deeply missed until we see him again.