Wednesday, May 24, 2023
To Diane, Josh, Joe, family and friends,
Time is moving way too fast. I am saddened to learn that Jeff has been taken from us way too soon. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the passing of your husband, father, and grandfather. He was such a wonderful man who was so full of life.
I was lucky to have known Jeff for over 50 years, having first met him when I was 14 years old. He was part of the group that hung around with my next door neighbor Allen Dieball. Sadly, that entire group is now gone.
Many times my friends (the younger guys) would challenge Jeff (and the older guys) to a game of basketball on the court in my backyard. Sometimes we'd play for hours. It was so much fun taking on "the old guys" because we wanted to prove our worth. We wanted to show them "we could hang."
From the start I was immediately drawn to Jeff because he was so funny, always a quick wit with a tongue-in-cheek, sarcastic, thrown-away line, that always left you laughing, even if it was at your own expense. (A good joke is a good joke...LOL)
But more than anything, I appreciated that Jeff never talked down to me and my friends, and treated us with respect, especially the many great conversations. So many were illuminating, laced with intelligence and experience. We didn't realize it then but Jeff was trying to teach us life lessons.
I also sometimes subbed in on Jeff's men's league softball team when they were short players. I learned a lot by just listening to the "adult conversations" in the dugout. Being "the kid", Jeff sort of looked out for me during these times.
Later on, when I was president of the Blue Island Pony-Colt Baseball leagues, I had to good fortune to reconnect with Jeff (and Steve Kawa) when they volunteered to coach at both levels over the years. I truly enjoyed the camaraderie and conversations on the field and sitting in the stands. Jeff and Steve was so funny together that you knew you'd be laughing most of the time.
Personally, to me, Jeff was always bigger than life. He was such a kind and caring guy (even though he'd show his gruff side from time to time). You could always count on him to pitch in when needed and knew the value of mentoring young people and leading by example. Something I still appreciate to this day.
It's said that one's life can be judged on the friends you make during your journey and the impact you make on others. Jeff touched the lives of so many that it'd be impossible to count. Simply stated, he was the best.
I'm so glad that he had a life well-lived, rich and full. God has plans for everyone. I'm sure God has a special one for him. Peace and serenity for all eternity.
Lee R. Talley
Tinley Park, IL
