Friends, colleagues remember Matthew Verde’s dedication, generosity

The void left by the passing of Matthew R. Verde is immense, Westmont officials and a fellow restaurant owner said.

Verde, 49, of Oswego died Nov. 24 from injuries suffered when he was struck by a car three days earlier.

A donor, many of his organs have been transplanted to those in need, a friend said.

A successful restaurant owner, Verde impacted the lives of many in positive ways, said Stephen Fleck, who owns the Dolce Restaurant & Wine Bar in Westmont.

Fleck knew Verde for about 25 years, long before the latter opened Neat Kitchen + Bar in Westmont, which became a success.

Neat Kitchen + Bar has locations in Westmont and Oswego. The Oswego location recently opened in the former Prohibition Junction Sports Bar & Grill.

Verde partnered with John Taylor, a childhood friend, for the Westmont business.

“When you met Matt, it was, ‘What can I do for you? How can I help?’ He was just that guy,” Fleck recalled.

Fleck spoke of their friendship in business and in life during Verde’s funeral service Dec. 3 at Bauman Family Funeral Home in Oswego.

“He treated everyone the same and at that moment you were the most important thing he had going on in front of him. It wasn’t fake. It was genuine,” Fleck said in his comments at the funeral.

“People say, ‘Wow, you did a great job.’ Matt made it easy. The words came out because all you had to do was describe him. That portion was easy. The hard part was getting the words out in front of everybody,” Fleck said Dec. 5.

They called each other a few times a day, sometimes business, sometimes family, always friendly.

Staff members jokingly called the evening calls “pillow talk with Steve and Matt,” he said.

Fleck hopes to get an honorary street sign erected in front of Verde’s restaurant.

But that’s not all.

“We want something more lasting. We’re in the process of setting up a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, myself and other business owners on the board, start the Matthew Verde Foundation to start scholarships for kids who want to be in the hospitality world,” Fleck said.

A total of $88,470 has been raised as of Dec. 6 on a GoFundMe page called “Help needed for the family of Matt Verde.”

Donations from 791 donors range from $5 to $2,500.

Westmont Mayor Ron Gunter isn’t surprised by the generosity. He called Verde’s death “a tremendous loss to the community.”

“He was very active, especially with our special events,” Gunter said.

Verde donated his restaurant for special events or gave groups discounts and was a major sponsor of Taste of Westmont, the mayor said.

“He was community minded,” Gunter said. “I know he was a Chamber board member. ... He put so much time, energy and money into his restaurant in Westmont. It was a lot of work but what an improvement.

“He took his business, which is private, and made it part of the community.”

Larry Forssberg, president of the Westmont Chamber of Commerce, said, “everybody is still processing this.”

Verde was instrumental in organizing the annual restaurant week in Westmont, Forssberg said. Verde was on the Chamber board for a year.

“Just a really dedicated, positive spirit. ... There are people who talk about things and there are people who talk about things and do it. Matt was in the latter category,” Forssberg said.

“Whether it was a school, church or a Little League coming in for donations or looking to have an event, he was there to help,” Forssberg said.

He added that Verde “was an organ donor. His heart beats on.”

“But that process is stressful for a family. Once a decision is made that nothing else can be done, the family has to make that decision,” Forssberg said. “As I’m talking about him, I’m getting chills.”

Verde received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Marines. He graduated in 1993 from Immaculate Conception High School, according to his life story on the funeral home’s website.

Verde grew up in Elmhurst.

He began his hospitality career at Rock Bottom, where he met his future wife Jennifer. They married on April 24, 2009. Their children are Austin and Savannah.

Verde later worked at Capital Grill and for U.S. Foods before he realized his dream of opening his own restaurant with Taylor.

Visitation was Dec. 2 at Bauman Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Oswego. Interment was at Rosen Lord Catholic Cemetery in Oswego.

An overflow crowd attended the visitation and funeral, Forssberg said.

“It was standing room only. A young man with a lot of friends from Westmont, Oswego, so many people there to support the family,” he said.

A 17-year-old girl was driving south on the access road between the Meijer parking lot and the stores in the 1400 block of Douglas Road when her vehicle struck Verde, who had been walking across the access road, according to Oswego police.

Police still are investigating.

In the meantime, Fleck already is missing his regular meetings with his friend.

“Matt would always say to me, ‘I’ll catch you on the flip side,’ meaning after our [dinner] rush is over,“ Fleck said.

“If it was during the week, we’d talk on the phone. On a weekend, we’d go have some beers and not at one of our places, somebody else’s.”

Forssberg said Verde “embraced Westmont and Westmont embraced him. He will be long remembered here in Westmont.”