Jeffrey Matthew Reyes

Matt Reyes was born on November 20, 1971, in Sacramento, CA, to parents Marta Reyes and Jeff Reyes. He was raised in Shingle Springs, CA, in the beautiful foothills near Lake Tahoe. Matt attended Buckeye Elementary, Camerado Springs Middle School, and El Dorado High School, from which he graduated in June 1990.

Shortly after high school, Matt joined the U.S. Army, where he became an expert marksman and rifleman, and worked with EOD (explosive ordnance disposal). After serving his country, Matt was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1991.

Mechanically inclined and hardworking, Matt pursued a career in the mechanical, water, and pipe industries based in Placerville, CA. There, he met his former wife, Penny (Brooks) Reyes, whom he later married. Together, they had one daughter, Brooke (Reyes) Hayes. Matt also adopted Penny’s daughter, Darbie Blair-Brooks, and took in his niece, Skylar (Brooks) West, as his own.

Matt was an avid diver who loved the ocean, especially Hawaii. He adored all creatures great and small and often had a home filled with unique animals, including birds, snakes, iguanas, ferrets, dogs, cats, and more. A talented cook, Matt decided to change career paths in his mid-thirties and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Sacramento, CA. He went on to work as a chef in several restaurants in the greater Placerville area.

Matt’s passions included diving, hiking, animals, cooking, anything mechanical, and most of all, his family. After many years in Placerville, he moved to Seaside, OR, where he became an active member of the community. He worked in several local hospitality establishments and took joy in the beauty of Seaside’s beaches and mountains. He especially loved spending time with his best mate, Ellie Mae, his beloved shepherd dog. He also enjoyed the Seaside Community Center, the local library, and the area’s veterans chapter.

Matt had been an avid reader and writer since childhood. He wrote a book of poems and short stories that his family now treasures

J. Matthew Reyes passed away on July 22, 2024, from an ongoing illness, at the age of 52. He is survived by his daughters, Brooke Hayes, Darbie Blair-Brooks, and Skylar West; his grandchildren, Jesse and Kara; his mother and stepfather, Marta Reyes-Newberry and Wally Newberry; his father, Jeff Reyes; and his five siblings: Mike Newberry, Kristin Beard, Steve Newberry, Lara Reyes, and Mitchell Reyes-Wing.

Family and close friends will gather on June 28–29, 2025, in Seaside, Oregon, for a celebration of Matt’s life and a dedication of his ashes. 

We love and miss you, Matthew. You will always be with us in spirit.

“I’ll meet you where the sky touches the sea.”