FISHKILL SCIENTIST AND FATHER REMEMBERED FOR LEGACY OF INNOVATION AND FAMILY
Photo Credit:LinkedIn/Matthew Sendelbach
FISHKILL, New York — Fishkill resident Matthew J. Sendelbach, a respected scientist, engineer, and devoted father of five, is being remembered for a lifetime of innovation and service after he died on Wednesday, July 1, following a Metro-North train incident in Wappingers Falls.
Sendelbach, 56, was struck by a Metro-North train north of the Bank Street crossing between the Beacon and New Hamburg stations shortly before 9 p.m. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, he was not authorized to be on the tracks. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and a preliminary investigation found no suspected criminality.
According to his obituary, Sendelbach was born on Feb. 5, 1970, in Centerville, Ohio. He graduated first in his high school class before earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from Cornell University and a master’s degree in experimental high-energy physics from the University of Illinois.
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, Sendelbach worked in the semiconductor industry with IBM, Nova Measuring Instruments, and Tokyo Electron US before founding MJS Metrology Consulting in 2025. He also served in leadership roles with SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics.
His obituary notes that he held 26 U.S. patents and authored more than 60 technical publications. Family members described him as “a beloved science geek” whose passion for learning extended well beyond his professional accomplishments.
Outside of his career, Sendelbach dedicated himself to his family and community. He coached youth soccer, volunteered as a Scout leader, helped all three of his sons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, supported his children’s science projects, and rarely missed his youngest daughter’s ballet performances.
Former IBM colleague Eric Solecky remembered Sendelbach as an innovative engineer and mentor, saying his guidance extended beyond the workplace and had a lasting impact on the lives of others.
Sendelbach is survived by his wife, Kimberly, their five children, a grandson, his mother, siblings, and extended family members.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Riverview Funeral Home in Beacon. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary Mother of the Church in Fishkill.
Source:Daily Voice
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