Zachry Matheson
September 12, 1973 – February 3, 2026
Zachry Andrew Matheson, 52, passed away unexpectedly on February 3, 2026 at his home in Seaview, Washington, with his wife Mariam by his side.
Zach was born on September 12, 1973 in Lansing, Michigan to Paul and Polly Matheson. He grew up in St. Johns, Michigan, exploring fields, creeks and country roads and developing a lifelong love of nature. He attended St. John High School where he was a talented athlete, an aspiring artist, captain of the swim team and homecoming king. He went on to Michigan State University where he studied Japanese Language and Culture. He spent a year studying abroad in Japan and finished his college degree at The University of Hawaii. He spoke Japanese fluently and had a deep appreciation for Japanese culture.
His adulthood held many professional and artistic endeavors, including opening a cafe and music shop in Detroit with his sister Amber, selling payroll and accounting software, teaching yoga, painting, film photography, finding and selling vintage furniture and creating handmade bags. Throughout his furniture sales career he worked for Verpan, Design Within Reach, Design Public Group and Rarify. He was an admired member of the design industry, known for his artistic sensibility and keen eye for quality. He and his wife Mariam traveled widely, spending extended time in Hawaii, Japan and New Zealand. Zach and Mariam lived in Austin, Berkley, Brooklyn and Portland before purchasing painter Charles Mulvey’s home in Seaview, Washington, where they lived with their beloved mini poodle Harvey and continued to make art together.
Zach met Mariam in 2010, when they both worked at a yoga studio in Traverse City, Michigan. They quickly recognized one another as soulmates, and continued the next 16 years as best friends, artistic muses, traveling companions, parents of their dog Harvey, and uncle and aunt to their cherished niece and nephews. They celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on January 6th, 2026.
Known for his genuine friendliness and generosity, Zach loved to learn and share his learning with others. Among his many fascinations, Zach loved Sumo wrestling, restoring old cars, practicing judo and jiu jitsu, programming music, playing video games with his nephew Parker, gardening, drawing and painting, woodworking, baking, roasting coffee, and foraging for mushrooms. He was a beloved and helpful neighbor on the peninsula.
Zach leaves behind an international community of friends from the design industry and the wide-reaching places where he lived. He is survived by his parents, Paul and Polly, his sister Amber and her partner Bryan, his nephews Parker and Bodhi and his niece Livy. Most important in the world to him was his wife Mariam, who remains on the West Coast with their dog, Harvey.
Zach will be deeply missed by his close friends and relatives, as well as those whose lives he touched in small ways each day with his contagious smile, earnest enthusiasm, and playful nature. He loved the boundless wonders of the earth and creating more beauty around him. His memory lives on in his art, his design work, and all the acts of generosity he shared with those who were lucky enough to cross his path in life.