Our beloved son, Matthew Steven Dirsa, 32, passed away on Sunday, May 19, 2019 in Shanghai, China. At the time of his death, he had been working on a 1-5-year assignment at Mindshare Shanghai as Partner Director, Strategy.
Matt was born on November 26, 1986 in Jacksonville, FL. We lived there until our family moved to Lenoir City, TN in August 1996. He attended Eaton Elementary, North Middle School and Lenoir City High School. Matt graduated from high school in 2005 and attended Pellissippi State Community College for a year. He transferred to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Advertising with a minor in Business in 2010.
In June 2011, Matt secured a digital advertising position at Blue Cherry Group in Brooklyn, NY. He then moved to Mindshare World in Manhattan, NY and associated company MediaCom where he worked as Partner, Associate Director Strategy until his move to China in July 2018.
Our son was active in a wide variety of activities his entire life. He was athletic and always had to be moving. Matt started playing soccer when he was 4 years old. Through the years, he was a member of an ice hockey team at The Ice Chalet, and an employee at Cool Sports in Farragut where he was an ice-skating monitor. Matt was a sushi chef and server at several restaurants in Knoxville and Lenoir City. He loved to cook, rock climb, snowboard, wakeboard and enjoyed playing golf with his friends and clients.
Matt loved people, and he never met a stranger. The many friends he made throughout the years is a testament to just how much he enjoyed being around others. Matt made friends based solely on the quality of their character and not on their race, religious affiliation or national origin. He was the most accepting individual we have ever known.
Our son was very career-oriented, driven and dedicated to his companies. He cherished the years he worked with his fellow employees at Mindshare in New York and Shanghai. Being from a small town, Matt realized he would need to move to a large city to succeed in advertising. He loved big city life from the start and thrived in the hustle and bustle of the urban lifestyle.
Matt had a delightful sense of humor, was a very caring individual and a wonderful son. It was our honor to have raised him and watch him grow into such a successful and thoroughly remarkable person. We will always miss him terribly as he has left us way too soon. We find comfort in knowing that he knew how much we loved him, and him us. May he rest in peace and we will be together again someday.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, David and Ann Jones, Knoxville, TN and Steve and Ava Dirsa, Jacksonville, FL, and by his uncle David Dirsa. Matt is survived by his parents, Larry and Melinda Gathers, Lenoir City, TN; father, Michael Dirsa, Hawaii; step brother Matt Gathers, Jacksonville, FL; Aunts and Uncles, David and Lisa Jones, Knoxville, TN and Peter and Louise Dirsa, Jacksonville, FL; Cousins, Tanner and Jennifer (Jones) Phillips, and David Phillips, Knoxville, TN, David and Kathleen (Jones) Brinch, Louisville, KY, and Haywood and Geneva Gwinner, Soddy Daisy, TN.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30 at Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston, Knoxville, TN from 4-6 pm followed by a Memorial Service beginning at 6 pm. Graveside service will be held later.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Matt's name may be made to the charitable organization of your choice.
Friends may leave their thoughts and memories at www.berryhighlandmemorial.com
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