Matthew Andre Tanner, beloved brother, husband, father and friend, passed away on July 6, 2026, after being overcome by a sudden and unexpected medical event. He was 52 years old. Born in Atlanta, Ga., on March 1, 1974, to parents Amos and Ella Tanner, Matthew was the middle sibling to older brother Andrew and younger sister Angela. After several years in Atlanta, the family moved to Colorado, where at age 5 Matthew would lose his father, Amos, a World War II Navy veteran. His mother, Ella, remarried to Matthew’s stepfather, U.S. Army soldier Jay Hope. The family would spend four years living at his duty station near Frankfurt, Germany, before moving to Jay’s home state of Vermont in 1984. The family lived in Duxbury and Bolton before settling in Burlington in 1986.
In high school Matthew began developing his interests in media production and theater, participating in the Drama Club and collaborating with friends on numerous video projects through the Mayor’s Youth Office. Matthew earned genuine fascination and respect from classmates for his unabashedly unique style choices, like a Dwayne Wayne haircut with extra bangs, carrying a gum pouch and wearing his famous kilt. Matthew was revered for his charm and quick wit. He went on an unchaperoned trip to Paris, France, with several friends his senior year. Matthew graduated high school with the Class of 1992 and entered adulthood, but his childlike sense of playfulness, imagination and hope would never leave him.
As a young adult, Matthew studied at the Community College of Vermont and Burlington College, taking courses in advertising, design, public relations, mass media, film and creative writing. These would inform many projects throughout his life, such as camera work on the Sundance award-winning film Frozen River (2008); a dramatic acting role as a fugitive slave in “The North Star” (2014); assisting production of the PBS series “The Endless Feast” (2007); and others. Matthew also helped produce service announcements and commercials for things like public transportation, the Vermont Lake Monsters, the American Cancer Society and Recycle North.
Matthew became well known locally as the cohost and producer of “Matty and Stech Variety Hour,” which ran on cable public access for many years and formerly featured the late Josh Bridgman. The live call-in show featured many guests and could be unpredictable and hilarious while also fostering discussion and debate on serious topics such as police conduct, local and national politics, racism, corruption, human rights, and constitutional law. In 2013 Matthew was proud to receive the Robert L. Chapman Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Public Access Television for his work on this show.
Matthew’s activism included serving as an HIV/AIDS educator for Vermont CARES, an outreach worker for Spectrum Youth & Family Services, a panelist for the Vermont Department of Health, and a member of Uncommon Alliance, a nonprofit that hosted forums to foster dialogue between community members and police.
Matthew earned a living at various jobs through the years, including bartending and restaurant work at Ponderosa Steakhouse, Asiana House, Gaku Ramen, the Garage, the Archives Bar and Arcade, and El Cortijo Taqueria. For a number of years, he served as a production assistant for in-studio news broadcasts at WCAX-TV. In the 1990s, Matthew spent two years in Portland, Ore., where he enjoyed fun times and made many friends.
Of his many loves and friends, his relationship with Anne Marie Costa was his deepest and most important. Together with Anne Marie, Matthew would become a foster parent to two nephews and a niece and stepfather to Anne Marie’s three children, forming a beautiful, blended family of eight bound by love and dedication.
Matthew and Anne Marie were married at Oakledge Park in July 2002. In May 2004 they were blessed by the birth of their son, Furious Joseph Tanner, whom Matthew lovingly referred to as “Bunny.” The years Matthew dedicated to his marriage and the children that gave his life so much purpose were challenging, rewarding and filled with love. Although they divorced in 2008, Matthew and Anne Marie maintained their friendship and love for each other eternally, and Matthew continued to refer to Anne Marie as his wife until the end.
Matthew leaves behind his son, Furious Tanner; brother, Andrew Tanner; sister, Angela Santos; nephews, Miles Tanner, Justin Tanner and Omari Santos; nieces, Nico Tanner-Garrett and Ella Santos; stepdaughter, Uma Costa-Mangina; stepson, Ozazl Costa-Mangina; and stepfather, Jay Hope. He was predeceased by his parents and stepson Pan Costa-Mangina, whom we miss.
To anyone who knew Matthew, he was an irreplaceable shining light. He accepted people for who they really were, understood their flaws and loved them without judgement. He was someone who would really listen to you and remember what you said the next time you met. He made people feel good about themselves, and he was endlessly entertaining. He lived his life passionately and unapologetically. There will never be another person like him.