Matthew William Bassford, most recently of Spring, Texas, fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. Matt was 45 years old. He passed away at a hospice facility after a devastating struggle with ALS.
Matt was born in Somers Point, New Jersey on September 22, 1978 to Ronald and Mary Lou (Giesler) Bassford. He spent the first few years of his life in New Jersey before the family moved to Columbia Missouri, where Matt grew up. He graduated from Hickman High School in 1997, then attended the University of Missouri, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Religious Studies. He finished his formal education at the University of Texas with a law degree in 2003. He passed the bar exam, but decided not to pursue a career in law, opting instead to preach the gospel. He preached for the Spring Woods congregation in Houston, Texas, the Dowlen Road congregation in Beaumont, Texas, the Joliet congregation in Joliet, Illinois, and the Jackson Heights congregation in Columbia, Tennessee before ALS forced him to step out of the pulpit.
In addition to preaching, Matt served God’s people by writing numerous hymns, publishing workbooks and study books, and blogging. He published a psalter in 2021, in which he paraphrased all 150 psalms in English rhyme and meter, then set the paraphrases to familiar tunes to enable Christians to sing the Psalms. Matt leaves a true legacy of service to God through his writing.
Matt was preceded in death by his parents, Ron and Mary Lou Bassford and by his infant daughter, Mary Catherine (Macy) Bassford. He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Lauren, their children Zoe and Mark, his brother Andrew and wife Becky of Salem, VA, his sister Susan and husband Justin Wilson of Creve Coeur, MO, his parents-in-law Mark and Diane Richardson of Spring, TX, sister-in-law Lesli Sanders and husband Larry of Liberty, TX, brother-in-law Lance Richardson and wife Sarah of Mena, AR, and many cousins, nephews, and nieces. He is also survived by so many friends and dear ones who are like family.
Two memorial services will be held to allow family and friends to grieve the loss of Matt together. A visitation will occur at Klein Funeral Home Champions on Friday, October 27 from 4pm-8pm. A service will be held at the Kleinwood Church of Christ building on Saturday, October 28, at 2 pm. This service will also be livestreamed. A second service will be held at the Jackson Heights church of Christ building on Saturday, November 4 at 2 pm, with a visitation from 12pm-2pm. Matt’s ashes will be scattered in a private family ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Sacred Selections, a charity dear to Matt and Lauren.
http://sacredselections.org/donate/
For those not able to attend the Service at Kleinwood, a Livestream has been provided.