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Yale 62

Matthew W. Black, Jr.

BORN: August 2, 1940
DIED: April 12, 2021

Matt died at his home in Crumpton, MD on April 12. Born in Philadelphia, he prepared for Yale at the Episcopal Academy there. At Yale, he majored in History and held a scholarship. He lived in Branford, rooming with Don Metz and Jan Tillisch, and played on their basketball team. He was on the undefeated 1960 football team and achieved a major “Y.” Through Dwight Hall, he worked with boys’ clubs. He was a member of St. Anthony Hall and was elected to the Aurelian Society. He served on the Freshman Prom committee and was Captain of the Freshman Football team. He was a private in the USMR.

After law school at Georgetown, he served in private practice as a criminal law attorney, before 10 years as a Public Defender, and he retired in 2009.

Matt loved sports – he was an avid tennis player and during his law career he regularly played softball on the National Mall. He wrote A New Handbook for Word Players.

From Bill Leckonby: “He played football for all four years at Yale and was a key member of our class on the teams.”

From his high school classmate and Yale roommate, Don Metz: “He was in the Peace Corps in Guinea, W. Africa, ‘64 and ‘65. He played quarterback at Episcopal Academy, and, at center, was the smallest lineman on the Yale football team (but made up for it with smarts and skill).”

He is survived by his wife Janie, daughter Tamara, adopted daughters Jill and Bethany, and son Andrew, and was predeceased by his son Matthew.

 
– John Harger Stewart

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