Obit: Matthew Omans

Editor's note: Matthew Omans is the man who was and killed by a train in Bayport last week. The below obituary is courtesy of the .

Matthew P. Omans, 24, of Bayport, LI, died suddenly on Friday, March 9, 2012.  Matthew graduated from Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree (2010) in applied economics and management-entrepreneurship from Cornell University where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Most recently, Matthew was living in Providence, Rhode Island where he worked as an account manager with AT&T Business Services.

Matthew was born in New York City on Feb. 16, 1988 and grew up in South Jamesport, LI; Watertown, MA; and Bayport, LI.  Although the youngest child in his family, Matt led his older siblings with astonishing charisma, a winning smile, a tender heart, and a riotous sense of humor. His mother Eleanor frequently joked that Matt “has been running for mayor since he was two.” At an early age, Matt took an interest in snowboarding and video games, two hobbies that he pursued consistently into adulthood. 

At the start of his sophomore year of high school, Matt moved to Cambridge, MA where he lived with his brother Jesse and attended school there until he graduated in 2006. Matt and Jesse had a unique living arrangement. They resided in Mather House, a Harvard College dormitory where Jesse worked as a resident tutor. His favorite subjects in high school were chemistry and history.  He had lead and supporting roles in several plays at Rindge and also at Harvard. At Mather, Matt became every undergraduate’s little brother, charming the entire dorm community with, what one former resident recalled, “his infectious smile and boundless energy.” In this setting, Matthew matured quickly into a young adult with a headstrong sense of independence, then leaped ahead with enthusiasm to pursue his higher education at Cornell University.

At Cornell, Matt found a second family with the brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha.  He served various roles over three years including House Manager, Steward, and Ritualist. One of his closest friends from college recalls that Matt “was a brother you could always count on, his door was always open and so were his arms.” A quick scan of his college pictures on Facebook shows Matt embracing his many friends, arms stretched across as many shoulders as he could reach.  “Matt was incapable of holding a grudge with anyone, having a positive relationship with every brother he encountered.” Lambda Chi Alpha gave Matt a home base and stability at Cornell which he returned ten fold with love and support to everyone around him.

Matt was recruited to work for AT&T during his senior year at Cornell and began working immediately upon graduation. For the past two years, Matthew excelled at a demanding job in sales with AT&T Business Services in the greater Providence area of Rhode Island, returning home to Bayport frequently to spend time with his parents, his brother Chris, and his sister Kate.  During his brief post-college career, Matt spoke often about entrepreneurial efforts with great intention and passion, but through a lens of service. Matt saw the world as one big service project, always eager to help people and improve the lives of those around him.  

Matthew is survived by his parents, Eleanor M. (nee Hession) and Stanley W. Omans of Bayport; his siblings, Christopher W. and Katelyn M. Omans, both of Bayport; Steven W. Omans and his wife Michelle of Patchogue; and Jesse H. Grayman and his partner Dezant of Jakarta, Indonesia; his three nieces, Fallon, Devon and Stephanie Omans; his grandparents, Pat and Maryagnes Hession of Blue Point; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.  

Friends and relatives will gather 4-8 p.m. on Friday, March 16 at Raynor & D’Andrea Funeral Home in West Sayville.  A service will be held at the same location on Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m.  A private cremation was held on Tuesday March 13.  In lieu of flowers, contributions in Matthew’s memory may be given to one or both of the following:

1.  The Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Office of Advancement, H.S.C. Level 4, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8430. Checks payable to “Stony Brook Foundation.”  Memo line:  “In Memory of Matthew P. Omans.”

and/or:

2.  The “Edgemoor Leadership Foundation,” the official non-profit foundation set up for educational and scholarship purposes to benefit current undergraduate brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha at Cornell University.  Checks can be mailed to:  The Edgemoor Leadership Foundation, 520 Brights Lane, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422, memo line “In Memory of Bro. Matt Omans ‘10”. All donations are tax deductible.