Matthew Arnold Rosenstein

Matthew Arnold Rosenstein, age 80, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2024.  He was born on August 27, 1943, to Maurice and Nora (nee Lerner) Rosenstein in Marshalltown, Iowa.  His father ran many small businesses, including a juke box, vending machine and pinball business, in which Matt delighted working for as a teenager collecting coins, fixing pinball machines and restocking sandwiches and sodas.  Matt attended the University of Iowa, where he graduated with a BS in Finance.  During college he started dating Paula Fishman, whom he first met at religious school as a child, and who would become his wife of more than 50 years. 

After college, Matt initially enrolled in law school in Chicago.  However, prior to starting, he had a change of heart, enlisted in the military, and proposed to Paula.  They married on December 26, 1966, and after a brief honeymoon, moved to Zweibrücken, Germany.  But Matt’s interest in a career in law never waned, so after his discharge from the military, Matt and Paula moved to Waco, Texas where he attended law school at Baylor University and they welcomed their son, David.  After graduation in 1971, they settled in Dallas, Texas, where he began his 50+ year venerable legal career as a bankruptcy lawyer and they welcomed their daughter, Gayle.

Matt and Paula decided to move their young family to Corpus Christi, Texas in 1976. Matt joined the Kleberg law firm and practiced there until 1988.  They then lived in San Antonio Texas until 1994, only to return to Corpus Christi, where Matt would open The Law Offices of Matthew Rosenstein and practice as a solo practitioner until he retired.  During their brief hiatus from Corpus Christi, Matt worked for The Resolution Trust Corporation where he was lauded for achieving the largest settlement in RTC history.  Matt was also board certified in both business and consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification, which has certified fewer than 1,000 attorneys in consumer and business bankruptcy and creditor’s rights laws nationwide.

Following his retirement, Matt focused on his love of music.  He was an avid composer, took piano lessons, learned to play the trumpet, and played in a jazz ensemble at Del Mar College.  But Matt’s biggest love was his family.  He was incredibly proud of their accomplishments, and anyone with whom he spoke would learn that Paula obtained her Ph.D. in counseling at age 60, that David also has a Ph.D. and is a physician and a partner in one the premier hospitalist practices in Texas, and, of course, that Gayle decided to follow in his footsteps and become a trial lawyer, and that she is now the co-head of US litigation for one of the oldest law firms in the world.

Matt will be remembered for his quick wit, being an early adopter of new technologies, and enjoying a good barbecue lunch.  He was also an active participant in the Corpus Christi community and volunteered with a variety of organizations including the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra.  He is survived by his son, David Rosenstein (Lisa) of Dallas, Texas, daughter Gayle Klein (Jeffrey) of Quogue, New York, his beloved granddaughter Alexa Rosenstein, a junior at Purdue University, sister Tobi Greenblatt (Marty) of West Hempstead, New York, sister-in-law Elaine Sherp of Dallas, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his soulmate Paula and nephews Gregory Sherp and Jeffrey Greenblatt.  Matt’s constant companion for the past 10 years, Ollie the Shetland Sheepdog, has taken up the mantle of “mascot” at Tailwaggers Country Inn where he will spend his time supervising the office team and using the charms that worked so well on Matt for extra treats.

A graveside burial will be held at Seaside Memorial Cemetery in the Jewish Section on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, Matt’s family requests that donations be made to the Coastal Bend Food Bank (https://coastalbendfoodbank.org).