Matthew Strauss, Dedicated Supporter of the Arts, Education and Health Care, Has Died

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San Diego-based business leader, art collector and philanthropist, Matthew Strauss, died on Aug. 20. He was 91.

Together with his beloved wife of 70 years, Iris, Strauss made a major impact on the University of California San Diego—and throughout the region—with support in areas including arts, culture and cancer research.

“Matthew Strauss was a generous visionary and friend with an insatiable passion for learning,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “He was dedicated to making a difference in society through supporting arts, culture and education, as well as research to advance heath care and medical discoveries. We are grateful for the legacy of impact that he and Iris have had on the UC San Diego campus, and we will miss him greatly.”

In 2023, Matthew and Iris Strauss donated a world-class collection of contemporary art to UC San Diego through their Strauss Family Foundation. The renowned collection comprises more than 100 pieces by artists from around the globe, including paintings, mixed-media art and sculptures. They also donated the property which housed the collection, with the intent that it would be sold to create the Matthew and Iris Strauss Family Foundation Endowment at UC San Diego, which will provide funds to maintain and add to the collection.

The newest addition to UC San Diego’s art ecosystem, The Strauss, was named in recognition of the gift. The highly anticipated gallery will open in UC San Diego’s new Triton Center in 2026.

“Matthew’s deep love for the arts and dedication to sharing the joy of creative expression with others has made an enduring impact on our campus,” said Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities Cristina Della Coletta. “His memory will live on through The Strauss, which significantly grows the university’s arts ecosystem and will inspire many generations to come.”

In addition, the couple has provided significant funding to UC San Diego Health over the decades, including Moores Cancer Center.

“Matthew Strauss was a fighter for cancer cures,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “His unwavering commitment to supporting cancer research and treatment innovations gave countless people more life, more health and more time to enjoy the beauty of everyday living. His legacy of compassion, action and leadership will continue to inspire for generations to come.”

The Strausses established the Iris and Matthew Strauss Center for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer, and provided support to help fund the development of a cancer vaccine.

“Matthew Strauss leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew him. His steadfast leadership and business acumen amplified his countless contributions to important causes, from medical research to the world of art. The ripples of his generosity will continue to heal and inspire for generations,” said Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, director of the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, deputy director at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and professor of Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Matthew believed that exposure to art broadens the mind, allowing scientific discoveries to be made collaboratively and more quickly. He will be sorely missed by all of us.”

The Strausses also established the Iris and Matthew Strauss Chancellor's Endowed Chair in Head and Neck Surgery, which is held by Joseph A. Califano, III, MD, professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“Matt was, and is, a giant among men,” said Califano. “His generosity extended to his advocacy for Moores Cancer Center, and the wisdom and insight that he shared with UC San Diego leaders. More than simply a businessman, philanthropist and U.S. Marines veteran, Matt served the Moores Cancer Center community as wise counselor, a strategic genius, team captain, rabble rouser and dear friend. He will be missed deeply by all of us, and I am so honored to carry his name as Professor.”

In 2019, Matthew and Iris Strauss received the Chancellor’s Medal for their longstanding contributions and support of the campus. The Chancellor’s Medal is one of the highest honors given by UC San Diego for exceptional service in support of the university’s mission.

Matthew and Iris Strauss both served as Campaign Cabinet members during the Campaign for UC San Diego, as well as on the Health Sciences Board of Advisors, co-chairing the development committee.

Strauss was a native San Diegan. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in 1955, and served as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps from 1955 to 1957, before starting his own business. Strauss founded M.C. Strauss Company in 1960, which is a highly successful, legacy commercial real estate business now known as MCS. He led the development and management of real estate properties in California and Arizona.

Strauss was president and founder of the Matthew & Iris Strauss Family Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2007. The foundation held the world-class art collection that the couple donated to UC San Diego in 2023.

Before making their donation to the campus, in 2008, Matthew and Iris Strauss opened the collection to the public, bringing groups of students from local community colleges and UC San Diego to tour the collection. Strauss took pride in personally leading the tours, sharing his passion and insight into the collection.

He is also the author of “Matt’s Art Almanac: The World’s Great Artists of the Last 800 Years, 1200 to 2020, From Giotto to Post-Damien Hirst,” a 602-page art dictionary published in 2020 and listed in the Library of Congress.

Strauss supported numerous charities in the community including the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), Jewish Community Foundation, La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Symphony and Congregation Beth Israel.

He served as campaign chair of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County from 1982 to 1983. In 1985, the American Jewish Committee awarded Matthew and Iris Strauss with the “Colonel Irving Solomon Human Relations Community Service Award.”  Strauss served as trustee for MCASD since 1987 and served as president of the organization’s Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2016.

Strauss is survived by his wife, Iris; son, Steven, who is married to Lise Wilson; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his two daughters, Stefanie and Tamara, and grandson, Cameron. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations in Matthew Strauss’s honor be directed to the Iris and Matthew Strauss Chancellor's Chair in Head and Neck Surgery Current Fund at UC San Diego or the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

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