Matthew “Matt” Steele Fitzgerald

10/11/1985 ~ 11/26/2020

Matthew “Matt” Steele Fitzgerald, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana passed from this life on
Thursday, November 26, 2020 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Hospital after a long battle with
COVID-19.
Matt was born on October 11, 1985 in Baton Rouge. He is a 2004 alumnus of Parkview Baptist
School. He is a 2008 graduate of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas where he met his
wife, Nicole.
Matthew means “gift of God”, and he truly lived up to the meaning of his name. Matt spent most
of his adult life serving as a missionary in Honduras. He oversaw a feeding program, El
Comedor de Vida Nueva (the New Life Feeding Center), where about 200 children received a
hot lunch each day. The feeding program also helped the children attend school. In addition,
Matt fed and ministered to many adults who made their living collecting recyclable items at the
Tegucigalpa city dump. Matt and Nicole managed a children’s home providing permanent
housing to 20 children. While in Honduras, Matt also led a ministry called Honduras Hope in
which he directed teams of volunteers in various humanitarian aid projects such as home
construction and medical clinics. Most importantly, Matt wanted people to know Jesus, and
lived out his calling of feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless and caring for the orphaned.
Matt was a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. People around the world are
grieving the loss of such a gentle, loving soul. Matt is survived by his wife, Nicole; daughters,
Haley, Emma, and Paige; son of the heart, Brayan Benavidez; parents, Ronnie and Cheryl
Fitzgerald; brother, Austin Fitzgerald; grandfather, Corbett “Rags” Ragsdale; grandmother,
Louise Fitzgerald; and other extended family.
A COVID-friendly visitation will be held with the family from 9:30 AM-11:00 AM with a memorial
service to begin at 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 5th at South Baton Rouge Church of
Christ, 8725 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial
donations to Camp Smiling Acres, 650 Dentation Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 or to Disciple
Trips, 3723 34th St, Lubbock, TX 79410.