Matthew Joseph Valley, of Falls Church City, Virginia, was born on February 27, 1997, and passed away at the age of 24.
Matthew grew up in the City of Falls Church. A graduate of the George Mason High School Class of 2015, Matthew was a talented artist who was voted most artistic by his classmates. He lettered in football and lacrosse. In 2020, Matthew earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Kinetic Imaging from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts.
Throughout his life, Matthew was involved in scouting and enjoyed the outdoors. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow (Scouting’s National Honor Society) and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 2013. As a young scout, he spent many summers at Goshen (Va.) Scout Reservation summer camps. He became a CIT and eventually served as a seasonal camp counselor and area director. He ultimately received a five-year service award with the majority of his time spent on the waterfront.
Matthew’s friends and family remember him most for his love of music. He chose to go to school in Richmond after seeing a poster for a local band on a street telephone pole. He liked to discover new artists and enjoyed a range of classic and alternative rock bands as well as rap music. As a creative outlet, he played acoustic guitar and wrote his own music and lyrics. He also created music videos and sound beats. Friends knew him as a very compassionate person with a big heart, who took the time to look out for other people.
Matthew is survived by his parents, Steven Valley and Hilary Duke, sister Sarah Valley, grandmothers Marian Duke and Marlene Valley, step-grandmother Vicki Valley, and many loving uncles, aunts, cousins, and other family members. He is predeceased by his grandfathers, Calvin Duke and Richard Valley.
A gathering of family and friends for Matthew will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at Murphy Funeral Homes, 1102 West Broad Street in Falls Church, VA 22046, followed by a memorial service in celebration of Matthew’s life at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Chris Atwood Foundation to support recovery from substance use. (www.thecaf.org/donate or checks can be made out to The Chris Atwood Foundation, P.O. Box 9282, Reston, VA 20195)
