In Memory of Matthew Tittle (1961 – 2018)

The Rev. Dr. Matthew (Matt) Deane Tittle died on June 26, 2018, at the age of 56.

Matt was born on July 30, 1961, in Portsmouth, VA, to Harold Edwin (Ed) Tittle and Phyllis Deane Harper (Tittle) Alcorn. He received his B.A. from the University of South Carolina in 1982, after which he served as a Naval Officer on active duty for eleven years and as a Reserve Officer for an additional nine years. In 1987, he graduated with a master’s degree in National Security Affairs-Soviet Studies, from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. In 1996, Matt acquired an M.A. in Russian with an emphasis in teaching, following which he earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology in 2001, both from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Matt also worked at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology and Assistant Director of the Campus Honors Program. In 2004, he graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School, where he received his Master of Divinity.

Rev. Dr. Tittle was ordained on May 23, 2004 by the UU Church of Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL. In November 2004, Rev. Dr. Matt was called as the full-time minister at Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church, Houston, TX and served there until 2010. After that, he served as the minister at the Central Unitarian Church of Paramus, NJ, from 2010 to 2012 and at the Auckland Unitarian Church, New Zealand in 2013.

Committed to formation and Unitarian Universalism, Rev. Dr. Tittle was an active member on the Southeast Regional Sub-Committee on Candidacy from 2008 to 2018. He was also a co-leader for the Houston Roundtable of the UUA President’s Council.

Matt was active in promoting social justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. He was also a great writer. He was the co-editor of the book, “Bless All Who Serve” (2010) which provides hope, courage, and faith for military personnel and their families. In his leisure time, Matt was a marathon runner. He ran more than a dozen marathons and triathlons, including the Ironman Arizona triathlon and the Comrades ultra-marathon in South Africa.

Matt is survived by his wife Gail (Camp) Tittle; his children Alex and Sophie Tittle; his mother Phyllis Alcorn; and his aunts Jayne (Jim) Hill and Loretta (Gay) Jividen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Brain Tumor Association or the Unitarian Universalist Association.

A Celebration of Life was held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign, 309 W Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801.

A Memorial Service was held on September 1, 2018, at the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church Houston, 17503 El Camino Real, Houston, TX 77058.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Gail Tittle, 1702 Gentry Square Lane Apt 107, Champaign, IL 61821; gatittle@gmail.com.

https://uurmapa.org/obituaries/

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