tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post6354699750619116904..comments2023-05-24T06:02:06.480-05:00Comments on Chuck's Chatter: A tribute to Matt Biddle, my friend and colleagueChuck Doswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03099345055614900157noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-49598247383334378612018-04-12T17:01:29.993-05:002018-04-12T17:01:29.993-05:00I was very saddened to hear of Matt's death. I...I was very saddened to hear of Matt's death. I am a neighbor and friend from his high school days. I only saw him in person a handful of times over the last 20 years, but we emailed quite often over the last few years. Thank you to everyone who posted comments above. It helped fill in for me what Matt had been doing during "the Oklahoma years."<br /><br />Matt was definitely a unique person. Always very smart. Argumentative but smart. And also a very funny person. I will miss him.<br />Dave RiddleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-63417855302259908402018-04-12T11:10:18.439-05:002018-04-12T11:10:18.439-05:00Matt had a passion for public service. He continu...Matt had a passion for public service. He continued to work at OUPD in any role that was offered. He became a Weather Specialist for Emergency Management Incident Command with OUPD. He was active with LEPC and wanted to be part of the OUEM team. I will miss the phone calls, text, emails and radio chatter from Matt. He was really proud to be OUPD and lived to serve us and the OU community. We usually met for brunch on Saturdays usually at Scratch, the Garage, the Service Station, Midway or something on campus or campus corner. He never complained about his disability and sought to correct biases that others had on those with physical challenges. <br /><br />I too wish that I spent more time with him, especially at the end. My travels in search of a job in Minnesota took me away while Matt was in the hospital. <br /><br />To all his family and friends. Please know that he spoke highly of all of you and with great fondness. His academic, storm chasing, school and sports friends were topics of many conversations. <br /><br />Matt had a passion for being involved and wanted to protect and serve. He did so as a Community Service Officer, in Emergency Management and as a Weather Specialist / Storm Chaser. <br /><br />We met early in my career. I used to pull him over because he drove that El Camino like a bat out of hell. He was an aggressive and distracted driver. After a while, I would pull him over and we would talk about his chasing adventures. We worked together on the set of Twister in 1995. It was really fun to see the advisers in their cars and the Project Vortex team consulting and being ignored by Hollywood. He hated that they didn’t make it more realistic. His work in Emergency Management inspired me in my pursuit to be an Emergency Manager and Operations Section Chief. He volunteered to work any incident I was on and I put him in every chance I had as a technical specialist. <br /><br />I wish we had more time Matt. I wish…<br /><br />You will never be forgotten. We have it from here, rest easy my brother. Stay safe.<br /><br />Lt. John R. Bishop<br />OUPD # 22<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00324422366112487366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-16173760651940638582018-04-11T23:15:53.496-05:002018-04-11T23:15:53.496-05:00Roger Edwards referred to the "Chaser Formerl...Roger Edwards referred to the "Chaser Formerly Known as Matt." I recall Matt proudly calling himself the "Chaser Known as HazMatt" and having a license plate on his chase vehicle (with all of its typical meteorological sensors), HAZMAT. Being that I was a meteorologist before starting my graduate studies in the OU Geography Department (where Matt was also a student), I often got into excited discussions with him about weather. <br /><br />Matt deserved to get a purple heart along with his PhD, because he was wounded several times by academia. However, he kept on fighting. Even after receiving his PhD, he searched for funding for further work and visited the National Weather Center hoping to find support. He was persistent and usually refused physical help when walking with his crutches. If nothing else, his legacy is to be an inspiration to others with so-called handicaps.<br /><br />Dan Berkowitzpastgracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09112012586247524878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-26028052897491078582018-04-11T23:11:27.425-05:002018-04-11T23:11:27.425-05:00Matt and I were forever bonded after May 3, 1999, ...Matt and I were forever bonded after May 3, 1999, when he served as driver for myself and Kevin Scharfenberg during the Sub-VORTEX research project. We witnessed 13 tornadoes together that day. I've not been following Facebook lately, but my wife let me know of Matt's condition via Chuck's writings, and for that I am grateful. Not knowing that he had yet passed, I thought of Matt this afternoon as I circled the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C., viewing the cherry blossoms. It was a peaceful moment, and I feel Matt is in a peaceful place. I will miss his enthusiasm and kindness.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927944876143769210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-26692943930726135232018-04-11T20:45:12.403-05:002018-04-11T20:45:12.403-05:00Outstanding comments and I agree regarding Matt’s ...Outstanding comments and I agree regarding Matt’s forwardness. It was a breath of fresh air and gave strength to others to speak up. Many times on events Matt would appear and we would have some great short visits. A true cornerstone not fully realized. <br />David GrizzleAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17845250855161490354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-441270048616233672018-04-11T18:45:36.050-05:002018-04-11T18:45:36.050-05:00I never knew Matt but I graduated high school with...I never knew Matt but I graduated high school with Jason. Sorry for your loss, Matt sounds like an incredible person. My condolences to the family.<br /><br />Monica Miracle (Russell)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-69283452630745383542018-04-11T18:21:22.621-05:002018-04-11T18:21:22.621-05:00Note: Okienurse is my wife, Vickie.Note: Okienurse is my wife, Vickie.Chuck Doswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03099345055614900157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-29061451220895840512018-04-11T12:28:03.594-05:002018-04-11T12:28:03.594-05:00Chuck as usual, your comments leave me without wor...Chuck as usual, your comments leave me without words and this is no exception. I'm very sorry to hear about Matt's passing. While I never had the opportunity to meet him, I sure wish that I could have. Please pass along my condolences to his family. <br /><br />Steve Johnson<br />Fresno, CA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-65508164334717448682018-04-11T11:38:08.213-05:002018-04-11T11:38:08.213-05:00Matt was definitely a role model to a lot of peopl...Matt was definitely a role model to a lot of people but never saw himself in that light. I remember when he got his PhD he shrugged his shoulders...it was a big deal but nothing he was going to brag about. He was a humble man, opinionated but for the good of everyone not just Matt. He said Faith was his biggest accomplishment and was so proud of her. I feel so sorry for her not being able to have him around now. He is missed a lot! okienursehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737956457626102108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-49965345453292184452018-04-11T10:57:50.591-05:002018-04-11T10:57:50.591-05:00Thanks for posting such a thoughtful tribute, Chuc...Thanks for posting such a thoughtful tribute, Chuck. Matt was an inspiration to so many of us, it seems -- from his early "Chaser Formerly Known as Matt" CFDG and field-project days to now. Elke chased with Matt in the early NGS project days of the late 1990s (hauntingly, including Tim Samaras, Carl Young and Al Moller). I admired Matt's argumentative idealism too; yes, we had some good ones, but always seemed to come back around to talk of our mutually favored pro football team, the Dallas Cowboys. <br /><br />Even more, I admired Matt's love for his daughter and determination and integrity in the face of hardships that would cause others to get lost in despondency or worse. We had many e-mail exchanges about tornado data, events and chasing -- indeed, a spontaneous nowcasting call from Matt helped me get to the tornadic supercell that offered this marvelous little scene in northwest Kansas:<br />http://skypix.photography/pleasant-little-tornado/<br /><br />He left all of us who knew him better off for it.<br /><br />===== Roger Edwards ===== <br /><br />tornado.specialisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12747926731914018273noreply@blogger.com