In Memoriam of Sifu
Matthew Balducci
He is still loved by many and he lives on in so many that were fortunate enough to have been touched by him
Sifu was very loyal to his wife and always made sure that we understood SiMo was in charge. Living a kung fu life is a difficult and time consuming adventure, involving travel and expenses. As Sifu you take on responsibility for your students, as well. Our wonderful “significant other’s” that are in our lives deserve recognition for all of their support and understanding. Thank you SiMo Cynthia for giving Sifu the support and love that he needed and that only you could provide.For Sifu Matthew
…Sifu had completed the entire Ving Tsun system, something that few do and many of us aspire to. However, Sifu was more than just a master of his martial art. Sifu was a master of life.
These are just some examples of his mastery, as we celebrate his life.
Sifu was a Master botanist. It is very difficult to maintain and grow just one kind of orchid let alone many. At his mother’s house, Sifu constructed an entire hanging garden of orchids in which there were many different species that he maintained daily. Sifu was so knowledgeable in the way of plants that you could ask him any question and he wouldn’t hesitate to answer the genus species, the climate in which that particular plant needed to grow in and the best season to plant it in the soil. Sifu had multiple extensive gardens, both at his home and his mothers home. Sifu was even well studied in the medicinal use of plants and herbs for countless remedies.
Sifu was a master carpenter, leaving behind exquisite remodels and constructions that could have only been done by an artist and true master. Placing every stone by hand to form a collage that looked manufactured, he displayed great skill. Sifu was so skilled that he would freehand airbrush the entire interior of a home without having to use a single piece of tape or put down any floor protection. The lines on the crown molding and baseboard looked as if they were taped and there wasn’t a single drop of paint to be cleaned.
It seemed that when something crossed Sifu’s path which he took interest in, it would become another concept for Sifu to master. He had a method that made it possible and an attention to detail that only the most perceptive could sense.
More than this, Sifu was a master of heart. No matter how much something may have put him off or taken time from what he wanted to do, if it was the right thing to do, Sifu would always choose the right thing. Sifu was truly selfless. While maintaining a fulltime job, Sifu would help his aging mother daily, from dusk to dawn. Making sure she was fed and taking her medication. Even at the time of his passing, Sifu was helping a neighbor put up storm shutters.
Sifu means father teacher. Sifu Matthew Balducci was that and more. He was a friend, a mentor, and a part of my family.
When I fist started to learn Ving Tsun from Sifu, we would spend lots of time together. He would show me efficient ways to move in my surroundings. I would help him fix things he needed done around his home. On a trip to Tallahassee, to visit the school where he trained, we installed a door for his Sifu. And of course, we’d have the occasional drink together… What I didn’t know at the time was that this is how kung fu is learned, spending time with your Sifu, Kung Fu Life, as I now know it. Sifu treated my brother and I as if we were indoor before we knew what indoor meant. This was our Sifu, compassionate and caring. Not because it served him but because it’s what we wanted and in his heart, it was the right thing to do.
Sifu, you will be forever missed and never forgotten… 💮
Ariel