LAURIE WEIR
A celebration of life will be held Sunday for Mathew McGrath, 52, of Carleton Place whose body was pulled from the Mississippi River on May 12 after he was reported missing in mid-January this year.
A visitation will be held Saturday, June 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Alan R. Barker Funeral Home, 19 McArthur Ave., Carleton Place.
The celebration of life will be held June 2 at the Waterfront Gastropub, starting at 6 p.m. Food and beverages will be served. McGrath had been an employee of the pub.
“Growing up in Stittsville Matt has always been a free spirit who is cherished by close friends and family and adored by many who knew him,” his obituary reads. “Lover of all kinds of music and sports, especially hockey, he was the biggest fan of the Montreal Canadiens. An outdoors lover, Matt spent his summer days golfing, fishing and going to music festivals such as Bluesfest. Matt would always welcome any opportunity for a good banter session about politics and worldwide issues and was a voracious reader. Always a friendly and smiling face could be met by Mathew’s patrons while working at the Waterfront Gastropub in Carleton Place where he met and had so many longstanding and lifelong friends.”
Predeceased by his parents, Jim and Susan McGrath of Carleton Place, McGrath is survived by his sister Melissa Rainville (Pete), nephews Chase and Kaelen and by his son Liam (Kristy). He will be greatly missed by his aunts, uncles, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family would request that donations be made to the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation.
A fundraising campaign to help with funeral expenses has raised over $11,000.
