Joseph Matsumoto

Joseph Yoshio Matsumoto, M.D. passed away on April 21, 2023 trusting in the Lord’s loving mercy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00AM on Saturday April 29th at Assumption Catholic Church in Saint Paul, MN with Father John Malone celebrating. Interment will be at Oakland Cemetery in Marine on St. Croix.

Joe died immensely grateful for the many blessings in his life including a wonderful wife and family who surrounded him with a garden of love until his last breath. He was also blessed with beloved friends and co-workers who brought immeasurable joy to his days. And he was blessed by his patients whose precious trust gave his life meaning and purpose. Knowing Joe has received his eternal reward, we now rejoice in his new life in heaven working shoulder to shoulder again with his beloved son Peter.

Joe was born on June 3rd 1953 in Detroit, MI to Yoshio and Alice (Abe) Matsumoto, the youngest of three brothers. He graduated from St Paul Park High School in 1971.  Joe was a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota and was a devoted Gopher football and basketball fan, no matter the win-loss record. He was a Viking fan for half a century and master of all Viking trivia. Joe attended Mayo Medical School graduating in 1980 and subsequently completed his Neurology residency there, with additional training in movement disorders at NIH. He spent 3 decades on staff at the Mayo Clinic, retiring as a Professor of Neurology before joining his cherished University of Minnesota in the Department of Neurology for the final years of his career.

Joe was a superb, highly skilled clinician who cared compassionately for every patient. He always gave each one his very best. He was a wise mentor to many students, residents, fellows and young staff. He wanted to help each of them to find their place and reach their full potential. Later in life he worked with his son Peter at Mustard Seed Farm raising organic garlic and shepharding while also helping to care for his aging father, Yoshio. He was privileged to be an assistant porter for the early weekend mass at the Church of the Assumption.

Joe was an huge supporter of his wife, Jane, always giving sage advice and working with her to care for their four children. He loved each of his children deeply and was both involved in and encouraging to them in their wide ranging interests and activities. He adored his precious daughters, Molly and Martha and was awestruck by their talents. He shared his love of music with his brilliant son, Peter, and his love of sports with his athletic son, Andy. Joe was a well loved soccer and basketball coach for young grade school and middle school students. He made sure all of the kids on his team had equal playing time no matter their level of skill. He let them know that he believed in them.  

Joe’s three strongest attributes were kindness, kindness and kindness. He was humble and gracious and had a great sense of humor. He had compassion for everyone: family, friends, patients and colleagues. Joe’s strong faith in Jesus Christ grew even more after an impactful trip to Israel with Jane and Father John Malone taken in the last year of his life which reconfirmed the certainty of being reunited in heaven with his beloved Peter.

He was preceded in death by his parents Yoshio and Alice Matsumoto and son Peter. He leaves to mourn; his beloved wife, Jane; daughters Molly (Joe Spagnola) and Martha; son, Andy (Casey Colodny), amazing granddaughter, Ren and brothers Steve Matsumoto and Dave (Diane) Matsumoto and a large extended Matsumoto and Sexton family of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends and neighbors and three loyal dogs (Coco, Theo and Marco).

We wish to thank the medical team who cared for Joe for the past several years with a special thank you to Dr. Emmanual Antonarakis at the Masonic Cancer Center at University of Minnesota for his skilled, compassionate care.  We are also forever grateful to the many kind caregivers at Our Lady of Peace Hospice.

Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:00 am at CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION, 51 West 7th Street, St. Paul with visitation starting at 9:00 am. A reception will follow and burial will be at 2:00 pm at Oakland Cemetery, Marine of St. Croix.

Memorials preferred to Our Lady of Peace Hospice, 2076 St. Anthony Ave, St.Paul MN 55104; Little Sisters of the Poor, 330 Exchange Street St. Paul, MN 55102; Neurology Department, University of Minnesota, 516 Delaware St SE Minneapolis, MN 55455; and Church of the Assumption, 51 West 7th St. Paul MN 55102.