BARRINGTON — Well over 500 people gathered at St. John’s Church on Thursday, Nov. 12, to celebrate Matthew Starring’s life.

Matthew Starring died at his home with his family and friends at his side on Sunday, Nov. 8, after a two and a half year battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In the days following his death, Matthew's entourage united to fulfill his wish to make his wake and memorial service as positive and uplifting as possible.

Banding together

Party favors were handed out at the entrance to the church. Each brown paper lunch bag included a CD of Matthew’s original songs, origami paper cranes and “Booyah” wristbands, a product born out of Barrington High School’s Interact Club.

The Interact Club commits itself to service projects and charitable activities. The group approached Matthew with the idea to create silicone wristbands with a phrase and color of his choosing to be sold at a nominal cost to benefit his medical fund. Since his passing, his family has changed the beneficiary to the “Matthew Starring Memorial Fund.” The family plans to put the contributions toward a music scholarship in his name at Barrington High School. Matthew chose to label the bracelet with “Booyah,” his rallying cry throughout treatment. The orange bracelets, the official color representing leukemia awareness, will be sold at the school store and the Barrington High School Thanksgiving football game.

A handful of some of Matthew’s longtime friends from high school and college decided to go above and beyond in their efforts to pay tribute to Matthew. Carrie Azano, Baird Caner, Rita O'Connell and Jeff "Marcus" Marcus were sitting around an impromptu bonfire outside the Starring home shortly after Matthew passed on Sunday evening when the idea came to them. They decided to try to name Matthew’s favorite sandwich at the local pizza franchise, Pepperoni’s, after him. The boneless buffalo chicken sub, known as the “buff-chick” in the Starring household, has long been a staple in Matthew’s diet. He would recommend the grinder to every friend passing through town, always stipulating that adding lettuce and tomato was an absolute. The group teamed up and wrote a formal letter to the Pie-Zoni’s restaurant chain headquarters. The letter went out a couple of days ago, and they are anxiously awaiting a reply. Some of the names suggested in the letter are Buff Starring, Buff Matt, and the Starring Buffalo Chicken.

“He sort of became this legend both in Barrington and at Emerson College,” Carrie said of Matthew. “And, because he became this well-known person, it would only be appropriate for this sandwich, that has been such a huge part of his life, to carry on the Starring name.”

Mourning in a positive light

The memorial service’s program included musical performances of Matthew’s songs, friends sharing intimate stories and breathing exercises. At one point, three of his friends led the entire church in a “Dona Nobis Pacem” round. The Emerson College a cappella group, Noteworthy, performed harmonious tributes to his memory. Matthew served as the Noteworthy president for one year and musical director for two years while he was enrolled at the school. Three generations of the chorus sang an arrangement of Billy Joel’s “Lullaby” and The Beatles’ “With a little help from my friends.” The evocative performances left the audience with wide smiles and watery eyes.

“The music was definitely a representation of him,” Matthew’s mother, Jayne Starring said.

The attendees made up a diverse crowd, most wearing loud and bright outfits. Mrs. Starring issued a stern warning to funeral-goers, "leave the black duds at home," she wrote in an email regarding the wake and memorial service details. She explained that the wake and service would not be typical, which is how Matthew would have wanted it.

Many of those attending wore crimson Converse All Stars as a visual nod to Matthew's quirky style. He was known for his unique fashion statements, often wearing loud colors and skirts — almost always with a signature pair of Chucky’s. As a result, hundreds of the red sneakers marked the lawn of the church as mourners spilled out after the service.

“It was incredible, spectacular,” Matthew’s father, Mark Starring said of the event. “I thought it suited Matt’s memory very well. It was positive and strong. His presence was definitely there.”

“I thought it was a perfect tribute to him,” Mrs. Starring said of the memorial service. “It was just amazing and very much reflective of Matt, how he lived his life and how he treated people. ”

Many people felt the event brought them closure. The Starrings said even strangers were approaching them to tell them how Matthew had impacted their lives.

Through the laughter, the tears and the vibrations of the music, the overarching notion was clear. Matthew will never be forgotten. His magnanimous spirit will continue to be present in the hundreds of people who came together to honor him and the countless other lives he touched.

Click here to see more clips from the memorial service