Matthew O Ward

Matthew O. Ward, 59, died at home on October 13, 2014, surrounded by his family. Although he promised to haunt us if we used the word "valiant" in his obituary, it describes how he lived in the past year and a half, and how he lived his whole life. He remained active in research, directing students, and encouraging colleagues and friends while undergoing treatment for cancer, and continued doing so up until his last week in hospice. Matt was a graduate of WPI and received his MS and PhD in Computer Science from UConn. He worked at Bell Labs before joining the Computer Science Department at WPI. There he founded the Melbourne Project Center and was the first director of the Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. He made significant contributions to the field of data visualization and loved mentoring students and collaborating with colleagues in the world-wide VIS community. One of his last projects was editing the second edition of his textbook. Matt was a talented musician, gardener, wood worker and "baby whisperer." He was also a beekeeper, salsa connoisseur and aspiring curmudgeon. He was a faithful friend and loving husband, father and grandfather. He leaves his wife Meredyth, his sons Nathan and Andrew, and Nathan's sons Andrew and Nathan. He will be sorely missed by his brother and sisters, and a host of friends, colleagues and students. Matt's life will be remembered during calling hours at Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 19; then at his funeral in All Saints Episcopal Church, 10 Irving Street, Worcester, on Monday, October 20, at 10:30; and in a musical commemoration at Higgins House on the WPI campus on Monday afternoon from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friends and family are welcome at any or all of these celebrations. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Matt's name to the Worcester County Food Bank or to the student travel fund of the WPI Bioinformatics program.