Many took to social media over the past few days to mourn Matt Verde, Oswego resident and restaurant owner, who died on Sunday after he was struck by a vehicle days earlier.
Verde owned Neat Kitchen + Bar, which has locations in both Oswego and Westmont. In a Facebook post, Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Board Chair Becky Rheintgen said his death leaves behind “a deep void in the hearts of his family, friends and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Matt was more than a business owner — he was a core part of our business community, a passionate entrepreneur and a generous supporter of local initiatives,” Rheintgen said in the post. “Through Neat Kitchen + Bar, he brought people together, fostering a sense of community and creating a warm and welcoming space where countless memories were made.”
According to the Oswego Police Department, Verde was attempting to walk across an access road in the shopping center at 2700 Route 34 on Nov. 21 at around 9:40 p.m. when he was hit by a car.
Preliminary investigations indicated that a 17-year-old girl was driving southbound on the access road between the Meijer parking lot and the stores in the 1400 block of Douglas Road when she struck Verde, who was crossing the access road westbound, police said.
According to the police’s news release, a witness reported seeing a man wearing dark clothing heading diagonally through the parking lot shortly before the crash.
No charges have been filed, and the crash is still under investigation, officials said.
The girl was not injured in the crash, but it left Verde with serious, life-threatening injuries, which he succumbed to on Sunday, police said.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up over the weekend to support Verde. Now, those proceeds are set to go to his family for upcoming arrangements and expenses, according to an update on the fundraiser’s webpage.
The campaign was set up by Carrie and Steve Fleck, owners of Dolce Restaurant and Wine Bar in Westmont, after “the request of so many and with the approval from the family,” the two wrote on the campaign’s webpage.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised $73,664, surpassing its $50,000 goal with 665 donations.
In an update to both the GoFundMe campaign webpage and the restaurant’s Facebook page, the Flecks said that they “are devastated by this ending but know that Matt’s work is not done as he watches over all of us from heaven.”
Other local restaurants also remembered Verde in their own Facebook posts. Hinsdale Wine Shop said on its page that Verde was more than just a local business owner, he was also a friend and a “beacon of kindness in our community.”
“Matt was a kind, compassionate and genuine man who treated everyone with respect and warmth,” Hinsdale Wine Shop’s post said.
Candace Buchanan, owner of Mrs. T’s Pizza, said on the restaurant’s Facebook page that she is “heartbroken and speechless.” Verde would always go out of his way to make her feel welcome after her business opened just over a year ago, she said.
“Matt was always thinking about what he could do to help the next person. I am deeply sorry for the loss of a good friend,” Buchanan said in the Facebook post.
On the GoFundMe campaign page, the Flecks asked people to continue to support both Neat Kitchen + Bar locations so the family can continue to have income.
Both restaurants are set to stay open, Cindy Maquet of Neat Kitchen + Bar told The Beacon News in an email. That is what Verde would have wanted, so the Neat team, which is like a family, will “continue his legacy and the success of both restaurants,” she said.
“Matt was truly an incredible person and his presence will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him,” Maquet said.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
