Obituary for Matthew Thomas Lin
Matthew Thomas Lin, 19, son of Winston and Elizabeth Rittenberry Lin, passed away Friday, December 11, 2020. Born in Lexington on December 27, 2000, he attended the University of Kentucky studying Chemical Engineering and Violin Performance. He was a student in the Lewis Honors College and a Pigman Scholar in the College of Engineering. He served as a Peer Mentor within the College of Engineering Living Learning Program and a Peer Instructor. Matthew was a 2018 Kentucky Governor’s Scholar and a 2019 United States Presidential Scholar Finalist. He received the 2020 AIChE Freshman Chemical Engineering Student Award. He was also selected as the YMCA Outstanding Security Council Member at the 2019 Kentucky United Nations Assembly.
Matthew was a member of Tates Creek Christian Church where he served in the Worship Ministry with the Contemporary Worship Team, Praise Orchestra, and Handbell Choir. He earned his Eagle Scout rank in 2018, and he received the Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year for the Bluegrass Council. He continued his service as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor with BSA Troop 41 at Immanuel Baptist Church. An accomplished violinist, he was a former member of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and the Kentucky All State Symphony Orchestra. He was currently a violinist in the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. Matthew was also a championship fiddle player. He was the 2014 Grand Master Fiddler Youth Champion, and he held numerous state, regional, and national titles.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brothers, Andrew Lin, Benjamin Lin and David Lin; maternal grandmother, Gay Nell Rittenberry; uncle, Charlie (Amanda) Rittenberry; aunts, Emily Bisson, Shu-Qiong Lin, Shu-Ling Lin and Shu-Bing Lin; numerous cousins, including Donovan and Toby Bisson and Isaac, Aaron and Jordan Burns; and his girlfriend, Sydney Speed. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Jack Rittenberry; and paternal grandparents, Li-Yong Lin and Cai-Xia Zhou.
Funeral services will be held at 1 PM Friday at Tates Creek Christian Church, conducted by Matt Lee (live streamed at https://vimeo.com/event/555228). Burial will follow at the Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be 3-8 PM Thursday at Tates Creek Christian Church and 10 AM – 12 PM Friday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Matthew Thomas Lin Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the Grand Master Fiddler Championship (grandmasterfiddler.com), 401 MacKenzie Way, Franklin, TN 37064; the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program, 112 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601; the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras (ckyo.org) or CKYO Friends in Music Program, 161 N. Mill St, Lexington, KY 40507; or Boy Scout Troop 41, 3721 Ridgeview Way, Lexington, KY 40509.
Matthew was a member of Tates Creek Christian Church where he served in the Worship Ministry with the Contemporary Worship Team, Praise Orchestra, and Handbell Choir. He earned his Eagle Scout rank in 2018, and he received the Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year for the Bluegrass Council. He continued his service as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor with BSA Troop 41 at Immanuel Baptist Church. An accomplished violinist, he was a former member of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and the Kentucky All State Symphony Orchestra. He was currently a violinist in the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. Matthew was also a championship fiddle player. He was the 2014 Grand Master Fiddler Youth Champion, and he held numerous state, regional, and national titles.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brothers, Andrew Lin, Benjamin Lin and David Lin; maternal grandmother, Gay Nell Rittenberry; uncle, Charlie (Amanda) Rittenberry; aunts, Emily Bisson, Shu-Qiong Lin, Shu-Ling Lin and Shu-Bing Lin; numerous cousins, including Donovan and Toby Bisson and Isaac, Aaron and Jordan Burns; and his girlfriend, Sydney Speed. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Jack Rittenberry; and paternal grandparents, Li-Yong Lin and Cai-Xia Zhou.
Funeral services will be held at 1 PM Friday at Tates Creek Christian Church, conducted by Matt Lee (live streamed at https://vimeo.com/event/555228). Burial will follow at the Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be 3-8 PM Thursday at Tates Creek Christian Church and 10 AM – 12 PM Friday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Matthew Thomas Lin Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the Grand Master Fiddler Championship (grandmasterfiddler.com), 401 MacKenzie Way, Franklin, TN 37064; the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program, 112 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601; the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras (ckyo.org) or CKYO Friends in Music Program, 161 N. Mill St, Lexington, KY 40507; or Boy Scout Troop 41, 3721 Ridgeview Way, Lexington, KY 40509.