BOZEMAN - The family of an MSU Marching Band alumni donated to get the Spirit of the West Marching band to Texas for this weekend's Championship game, in memory of her son Matthew Campbell.
Matthew grew up playing music, from the piano to the saxophone to the clarinet and being from Alaska, the opportunity to march on the streets was slim. While attending MSU, Campbell jumped at the chance to join the MSU Spirit of the West Marching Band and quickly became a standout performer.
“He was a great student and an amazing musician,” Dr. Nathan Stark, the MSU Marching Band director said.
Swinging his instrument around, adding flare to his moves, and jumping along to the music came naturally to Matthew. His mother, Judy Campbell, loved watching her son play.
“You could spot him whether he was out on the field or in the parade route, he was just so animated,” Campbell said.
Pursuing a career in civil engineering, Matthew had the exciting opportunity to move to Denver—where he later learned that he had Stage Four Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor Cancer.
Despite the odds, Matthew continued his masters' studies and kept up his passion for music and athletics.
“He was a great student and an amazing musician,” Dr. Nathan Stark, the MSU Marching Band director said.
Matthew passed away on April 19th, 2020, but continues to share his kindness with the world through his family. His parents have organized different awards in Matthew’s honor and recently donated to the MSU marching band, in memory of their son, to get to Texas.
“He’s smiling right now, if he was here he’d probably get a ticket to go down to Texas to cheer on the team, to cheer on the band,” Campbell said.
The Montana State University game is set for January 8, and donations are still being taken to fund the band’s way.
Click here to make a donation to the Spirit of the West's efforts. Please specify 'marching band' under the donations to alumni
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