Matthew J. Rothwell
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Published on January 24, 2021
Atkinson – Matthew J. Rothwell, 58, a resident of Atkinson for the past 23 years, died January 18, 2021, surrounded by his loving family, at High Pointe Hospice House in Haverhill, following a courageous battle with ALS.
Born and raised in Danvers, Massachusetts, son of the late Ernest and Alma (Farren) Rothwell, he was a member of the Danvers High School class of 1980 and a member of the Varsity Hockey Team. He attended Westfield State College and later Salem State College where he received his bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. Matthew was employed for 30 years as the General Manager of The Sign Center in Haverhill until 2018. He was a former resident of Bradford for nine years before moving to Atkinson in 1998.
An avid Boston Bruins fan, he was involved in hockey all his life. He served as a coach for Haverhill Youth Hockey, the Timberlane Regional High School Hockey Team, and the Lowell Junior Lock Monsters, and still played in a men’s hockey league with his son until 2016. He was involved in supporting all his children’s sports endeavors. If he was not behind the bench, he was found shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines. Even with all the family sporting events he still found time to use his skills to craft and complete many projects with his own hands. He enjoyed golfing, trips to the beach, vacationing at Great East Lake in Wakefield with his family, and his annual kayaking and fishing trips.
He took great pride in sharing a good story and spending time with his family and many friends. He made everyone in the room feel seen and heard, all while commanding the room. With his sense of humor and warm personality, he made sure to create a positive impact on every individual he encountered. He controlled life; life could not control him.
He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his devoted wife of 32 years, Lauren M. (Scobey) Rothwell; a son Ryan J. Rothwell and his longtime loving companion, Michaela Shea, of Merrimac, Mass.; three daughters, Nicole M. Rothwell, Caitlin A. Rothwell and Victoria “Tori” L. Rothwell, all of Atkinson; his brother Stephen Rothwell of Atkinson; four sisters, Pamela Rothwell of Tucson, Ariz., Christine Rothwell of Newburyport, Mass., Marie Keane of Atkinson, N.H., and Janet Arsenault, of Beverly, Mass.; also an aunt and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Private calling hours for family will be held at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home of Plaistow with a private funeral Mass to be offered in Saint Anne’s Church of Hampstead. Relatives and friends are invited to view the Mass via livestream link HTTPS://saintannechurchnh.org/livestream on Saturday, January 30, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to Compassionate Care ALS, P.O. Box 1052
West Falmouth, MA 02574. To send a message of condolence to the family or share a cherished memory, please visit www.brooksidechapelfh.com.*THERE WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF MATT’S LIFE DURING THE SUMMER OF 2021. ALL WILL BE WELCOME. DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED.*
