Matthew Russell Kimball's Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Russell Kimball. He left us too early, at the age of 48, as a result of a tragic accident on February 20th 2025. Matt was born in Salt Lake City on February 4, 1977 to Don & Sharon Kimball.
Matt was known for his intelligence, sharp wit, and kind heart. His father fondly referred to him as “a freakin’ genius,” a sentiment echoed by all who knew him. Though humble about his accomplishments, his family took immense pride in the incredible projects he contributed to throughout his career.
As a talented computer programmer and software engineer, Matt played a key role in numerous groundbreaking endeavors. He was part of the programming team behind Shrek, contributed to the development of the Xbox 360 and various video games, and most recently, worked at SpaceX on Starlink—the world’s first and largest satellite constellation designed to provide broadband internet across the globe. His coding expertise remains a vital part of Starlink’s technology today. Additionally, Matt was the original author of mtr, a widely used network diagnostic tool.
Beyond his professional achievements, Matt had an adventurous spirit and a deep love for travel and hiking. He found joy in challenging his mind, often gathering with friends, his sisters, nieces, and nephew to play board games. His unique brilliance, humor, and kindness made him truly one of a kind.
Matt will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the innovations he helped create.
He is survived by his sisters, Lara (Mark) Stone, April (Tanner) Thomas; nieces, Arianna, Ava & Liberty Stone and nephew, Drake Thomas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Don & Sharon Kimball.
A funeral service for Matt will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Premier Funeral Services, 67 East 8000 South, Midvale, UT 84047. A viewing will be held for one hour prior to the service. Matt will be buried at Elysian Burial Gardens following the service, 1075 East 4580 South, Millcreek, UT 84117.
Flower Delivery Notice:
To ensure proper delivery, please send all floral arrangements directly to the location of the service one hour prior to its scheduled start time. Thank you.
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