Matthew James Ciolkosz Obituary
Died unexpectedly on January 11, 2026 at the age of 30 years. Beloved son of Tim and Sherri Ciolkosz. Loving older brother of Katherine "Katie" and Ryan Ciolkosz. Dear grandson of Mary Jane Ciolkosz of Sussex, WI, and Don and Anita Gulseth of Cato, WI. Loving nephew of Michael & Lisa Ciolkosz of St. Cloud, FL, Brian & Candace Lindgren of Evansville, WI, Gina Gulseth of Saco, ME, and Eric & Abby Gulseth of Whitesboro, NY. Loving cousin of Christopher Ciolkosz of Gainesville, FL, Travis Costello of Orlando, FL, Reece Rustad of Newport, NC, Haley Rustad of Newmarket, NH, and Carson, Tanner, Ingrid & Mira Gulseth of Whitesboro, NY.
Matt was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Lawrence Ciolkosz. Matt will be deeply missed by many other relatives, dear friends and co-workers. Matt lived life to the fullest, in his own unique way. He attended Hamilton High School in Sussex, WI, graduating with honors in 2014, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison, graduating in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Matt was a talented high school swimmer, qualifying for the state championship meet multiple years. He also competed with Rocket Aquatics (formerly Menomonee Falls Swim Club), qualifying for USA Swimming sectional meets multiple years.
Matt loved music, playing tuba and baritone for the Hamilton High School bands. Matt continued his musical journey at Madison, playing tuba in University Band. Upon graduation from Madison, Matt accepted a role as a software engineer at Northwestern Mutual, where he worked in Identity & Access Management until the time of his passing. He also recently obtained his CISSP certification. Matt loved spending time together with his family, his friends, and his coworkers, and was always ready for new adventures.
He enjoyed biking, skiing, and hiking in addition to swimming, and recently added sprint triathlon relays. He honed his craft outside of work in coding, contributing to and playing open source online games. He loved traveling with his family, visiting national parks and other parts of our beautiful country. He was a proud Badger alum and fan, and loved attending Big Red football and hockey games. He loved the family cat, and enjoyed sharing cat photos with everyone. Matt cherished just being with family and friends, sharing jokes, his expertise in tech, and his kindness.
His smile lit up the room, and he was a friend to all. Matt's love extended to his final act, helping others with the gift of life. Visitation will be on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church, N84 W16707 Menomonee Ave in Menomonee Falls from 10AM until time of the Funeral Service at 12 Noon, followed by procession to Sunnyside Cemetery in Lannon for Committal prayers and burial. The service will also be available for viewing on Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church's YouTube channel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to organizations that support causes that Matt loved. Memorials in Matt's name will be aggregated and used in ways specifically to honor Matt's memory. Hamilton High School Charger Band Program, https://chargerband.weebly.com. Rocket Aquatics Laps for Charity, benefiting Make a Wish (please put Matt's name in the notes), https://www.paypal.com. UW Madison Department of Computer Science, https://secure.supportuw.org.
The family would like to thank everyone who helped care for Matt at the end of his life for their care and compassion.
