Mathew C Thurston

Matthew C. Thurston was born March 6, 1969, in Logan, Utah, where he lived until the age of 2. In 1971 after graduating from Utah State, his parents, Susan and Dan, moved to Long Beach to pursue their careers. Matt enjoyed spending days at his grandmother’s pool, playing with friends, and taking trips back to Utah for the holiday season. Some of his favorite memories were spending Christmas with his parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins and friends in Elsinore, Utah. 

The family returned to Utah permanently in 1981 shortly after the birth of his sister, Amy. He was a graduate of Bonneville High School in 1987 before following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by enlisting in the U.S. Army. Matt served his nation in the Army until 1989 when he enlisted again, this time in the Air Force. 

While in the Air Force, Matt was a veteran of Desert Storm and was stationed in Little Rock, Arkansas and Dover, Delaware. He eventually was honorably discharged in 1994 and began working in the car industry. In 1995, he met the love of his life, Julie Sugihara, whom he married in 1996. Matt and Julie lived in Ogden close to family and friends before eventually having two children, Ryan and Grace, in 1999 and 2003, respectively.

In 2007, the family moved to St. George where Matt started a new career in RV sales management. These were some of his most memorable and successful years of his career, made even better by the friends he was working with, namely Charles, Beau, and Robert. 

While Matt and Julie lived in St. George, they watched their children become adults. Ryan graduated from the University of Utah Honors College while Grace began her career in nursing. During these years of his life, Matt loved vacationing in Las Vegas, playing poker with his son, playing golf with his wife, relaxing in his hot tub with his daughter, and going to the firing range. His adolescent love of Christmas continued, and he loved spending the holiday season with his family, making biscuits and gravy, cooking dinner, and playing cards. 

In between raising children and working successful careers, Matt and Julie loved vacationing in Mexico, swimming in the pool on Sunday’s, entertaining friends, their Sunday morning Costco trips, and cheering on the Vegas Golden Knights.

Matthew loved golfing, fishing, playing darts, playing cards, swimming in his pool, barbecuing, watching movies, reading mystery novels, baking, and above all else, spending time with his family. Matt is remembered as a kind, generous, and loving man who would do anything for his loved ones. 

Matt is survived by his wife Julie, his children Ryan and Grace, his mother and stepfather, Susan and Greg Pack, his sister and brother in law, Amy and Mike, his nieces Madeline and Violette, his mother in law Virginia Sugihara, his step sister Christina and her husband Rory, his sister and brother in law Shelley and Que Gallegos, and numerous other cousins, aunts, and family. In addition, Matt leaves behind numerous other friends from the years of selling cars and RVs, playing darts, and golfing at 6am. Because above all else, Matthew Thurston loved making friends and supporting those he loved. 

Matt was preceded in death by his father, Dan Thurston, his grandparents, Dorthy and Calvin Seely, his father-in-law Gerry Sugihara, his uncle Jerry Horgesheimer, and his cousin and best friend, Jared Horgeisheimer. 

Matthew fought hard the last year of his life while dealing with a number of medical issues, but is remembered as the strong, friendly, caring individual he was. 

Matt, while your family is heartbroken, we all hope that you can be at peace, play some cards with your grandpa and grandma, and relax with your cats Griffey, Charlie, and Macy. 

Love, Sweetie, Bear, and Munchie Munch.

Services will be held on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Magleby and Sons Mortuary, 50 South 100 West, Richfield, UT 84107. Family and friends can begin gathering at 11:30 a.m. at the mortuary.