Matthew Arluck

Matthew Allen Arluck, of Chicago, passed away at his parents’ home surrounded by his immediate family on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. He was 39 years old.

The son of Richard and Yvonne Arluck, Matthew was born Feb. 4, 1970, in Cupertino, Calif. He was raised in San Jose, Calif., and lived briefly with his family in the Philippines and Okinawa. Matthew graduated from San Jose’s Piedmont Hills High School in 1988 and eventually settled in Chicago to pursue a music career.

He was a well-known and very popular figure in Chicago’s alternative music scene, where he played guitar and performed vocals in several local bands. Employed by Urban Outfitters Inc., he worked as a shipping and receiving supervisor at one of their Anthropologie retail stores in the Chicago suburbs. He was a dedicated skateboarder, an avid fan of heavy metal rock music and prolific collector of rock music memorabilia. He also loved the game of hockey; his favorite team was the Chicago Blackhawks.

Surviving family members include his father and mother of Sammamish; sister Denise Howitt; brother-in-law Joel Howitt; and young nephews Luke and Reece Howitt of Federal Way. Besides loving family members, Matthew leaves many wonderful friends and fans mourning his passing.

The family suggests donations in Matthew’s name be made to Grind for Life, an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to cancer patients in need, at www.grindforlife.org. Donations in his name can also be made to the American Cancer Society, or Providence Hospice of Seattle, 425 Pontius Ave. N., No. 300, Seattle, WA 98109.

Friends are invited to view an expanded obituary and photo gallery, share memories and sign the family’s online guest book when posted on www.flintofts.com