Matthew Arlington Batson III, 79, passed away on Sept. 12, 2024, at Naples, Florida. He is the namesake of his grandfather who won the Medal of Honor for Valor and was an early aircraft pioneer and his father, an aeronautical engineer. Matt grew up in Smithtown, Long Island, and attended local schools. He was a veteran of four years in the U.S. Navy and was an avid outdoor sportsman.
Batson and his wife, Margaret, spent most of their adult lives owning and operating New Direction, a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Walton. The facility combined a course in the Twelve Step program with a family atmosphere and home cooking in a bucolic setting. Many of those who had gone through the house called it “hallowed ground.” An annual reunion picnic brought hundreds of alumni and their families back to Walton to greet the friends made during their residence and avow that Matt and Marg, as they were known, literally saved their lives and launched them on the road to recovery. As Matt was often heard to say, “It’s a beautiful thing.” New Direction closed in 2021 when Mr. and Mrs. Batson retired.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Margaret Hadley Batson, three sisters, Susan Batson McNeil, JoAnn Batson Poulton, and Catherine Batson; and two brothers, Thomas and David, several nieces and nephews and his beloved dog, Buttons.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 25 Benton Ave, Walton; reception to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Matt’s memory to St. Matthew’s House, Justin’s Place Recovery Program, 2601 Airport Road South, Naples, FL 34112.
