Matthew Charles Short, 43, passed away on August 10, 2025.

It is with heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Matthew Short. His life was characterized by adventure, selflessness, and a spirited nature that touched the hearts of many.

Matthew Charles Short was born in Columbia, Missouri on September 25, 1981 to Charles E. Short, Jr. and Debra Kay (Gardisky) Short. Growing up in Columbia, he attended Christian Fellowship School and Hickman High School before moving to Branson with his family in 1998.  He worked alongside his dad, in his early years, learning about flooring, construction and contracting. He successfully ran his own flooring company and managed a crew and warehouse at Advanced Flooring and Restoration in Texas for several years. In 2017, he returned to Branson, MO, where he continued to apply his talents to building custom decks, roofing, custom floors and tile work and for a time built boat docks and performed skilled marina work.

Matthew’s life revolved around his family and friends, being an advocate helping others, and the outdoors.  He was a great dad to his children, Bayle and Ryan.  He will be missed by lifelong friends he had from the Christian Fellowship Community, Branson, and the surrounding area....  He had a large friend and activist group in Texas that became his family aptly named  “Don’t Comply”.  He was known by many and impacted hundreds of lives, especially through his work with the open carry movement, Feed the Need in Dallas, and countless hours volunteering in natural disaster rescue efforts going where others wouldn’t. 

Matthew thrived in the outdoors, loving every moment spent in nature.  Being on the water was one of his favorite places, from Table Rock, Lake of the Ozarks, the Current River, to the creeks across Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. Whether it was cliff jumping, back-flipping off bridges, rope swinging, tubing down the river or just "Floating" as he called it,  "Let’s do a float trip!"  or just the simple pleasure of camping, Matthew was a true outdoorsman and embodied the adventurer's spirit.

Matthew passed away on August 10, 2025 from injuries suffered during a fire at his home in Galena at the age of 43. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Short, Jr. in 2019.

Matthew will be missed beyond measure by his children, Bayle Short and Ryan Short and their mother, Necole Short of Waco, TX; his mother, Debra Short of Branson; brother, Nathan Short of Chicago, IL; sister, Kathy Westmoreland of Springfield, MO and her three children; longtime girlfriend, Reba Mazac of TX; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins across the country who deeply loved Matthew.

Adventure, the kind that runs deep and wild in a person's soul, was a defining trait of Matthew 's remarkable life. His selfless and spirited nature illuminated the lives of all who were fortunate to cross his path. The legacy of love, courage, and joy that Matthew bestowed upon his family and friends stands as a testament to the incredible person he was—a truly unforgettable, unapologetically loud, one-of-a-kind man,  whose memory will be cherished forever.

A celebration of Matthew’s life will be Monday, August 18, 2025, 1:00 pm at Table Rock American Legion Post #637, 2 Woodland Ave., Kimberling City, MO 65686.