Last updated on November 28th, 2017 at 03:20 pm
Mr. Matthew Robert Remke, 41, of Villa Hills, Kentucky, passed away in the early hours of Sunday, Nov. 19, at his home after a battle with cancer. Mr. Remke was the fourth generation to run his family’s independently-owned grocery business, Remke Markets, and was president up until its sale in early 2017.
He leaves his wife of 15 years, Andrea Lynn (Dominello) Remke, 41, and their children: Brayden Matthew, 10; Mia Frances, 7; Therese Gloria, 7; and Payton Andrea, 5.
Mr. Remke battled unexplained kidney failure and disease at age 17 but lived a normal, healthy life with a transplanted kidney for more than 20 years. He was in good health and active when he developed cancer in 2016. He enjoyed vacationing with his wife and children, swimming, hiking, working out, attending his children’s sporting events or sharing a good bourbon with his friends.
Mr. Remke was a lifelong resident of Northern Kentucky where he was a well-known and decorated swimmer. A record he and his relay team set in 1990 at Beechwood Swim Club in Fort Mitchell remains unbroken today.
He was a 1994 graduate of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati where he was a member of several state championship swimming teams. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1998 and graduated cum laude with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in 2006.
Mr. Remke previously had been a volunteer member of the Petersburg (Kentucky) Fire Department and took helicopter pilot flying lessons. He was an active donor and fundraiser for both the National Kidney Foundation of Greater Cincinnati and Children’s Hospital Cincinnati.
He was a parishioner at St. Joseph Church, Crescent Springs, Kentucky.
He also is survived by his parents, William R. Remke, Petersburg, Kentucky, and Sherrill Vocke Remke, Villa Hills; sisters, Monica Remke Cymerman (Michael), Denver; Lauren Remke Overmann (Justin), Villa Hills; aunts, Martha Remke Suetholtz, Jean Remke Koester, Roberta Remke Dreyer, Marie Denise Vocke and Nina Vocke Hinkel; uncle, Robert Kim Vocke; several cousins; 20 nieces and nephews; and countless friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Robert W. Remke, Frances Remke Collins, Carl Robert Vocke and Helen Therese Vocke, and his aunt, Phyllis Remke.
Memorials may be made in his honor to the National Kidney Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, 615 Elsinore Place #400, Cincinnati, OH 45202 or to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229.
Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 24, at Middendorf Funeral Home in Fort Wright. A Catholic funeral mass will be at St. Joseph Church in Crescent Springs, on Saturday, Nov. 25, with burial to immediately follow at Mother of God Cemetery.
