I’ve been thinking about Jeff lately. I got to know him from caddying at North Oaks. We had a group of WBL caddie guys that hung out together during Junior High and it included Jeff, Howard Wanless, Mike Gangl, Mike Levasseur, Greg Jorgenson and a few others I’m probably forgetting. Our favorite pastimes were playing golf, biking to the beach and playing cards, usually in Jeff's basement. The consistent poker winners were Truex and Gangl. I sometimes felt like Howard and I were there to make the pot more substantial for those two 😊.
Jeff had a large personality. He was always laughing, telling jokes and teasing the rest of us. He was the ringleader of the group. I remember one night we all decided to meet at the Avalon theater (translated: our parents dropped us off there). After the movie we walked home. On the way Jeff was telling a funny story and began looking over his shoulder a few times. Finally, he says “That car back there has been following us a few blocks, let’s turn here”. We turn and the car, about 200 feet, back makes the turn with us. In the meantime, Jeff changes up to telling news stories he’s heard about axe murderers, child abductors, crazed guys that everyone though were normal... We make another turn and the car is still following us. As Jeff continues telling his horror stories, he gets more animated and fearful. Several turns later, with the car still tailing us, we find a house of someone we know and walk up to the front door to escape the threat. The car stops in front of the house and the guy rolls down his window. Jeff shrieks out “He’s got a gun”!!! We all scatter like jack rabbits jumping fences, tripping over shrubs, hiding behind trees… whatever we can do to get away. The guy rolls up his window and drives off.
Sometime after the adrenaline wears off we come out of hiding and gather under a streetlamp to compare notes about what just happened. “Did you see how you jumped that fence?” “Did you think that little tree was going to stop a bullet?”… Comments like that. The conversation eventually shifts to the gun. What kind of gun was it? How big was it? “Was it shiney or black?”……. “I don’t know, I didn’t see it.” “I didn’t see it either.” One guy finally says “Hey Jeff, I didn’t see any gun.” The next guy. “Me neither Jeff”. Someone cat calls “He’s got a gun!!!”. Jeff mounts his best defense claiming that the guy had a gun and that he had it pointed at us and it’s too bad no one else saw it because he probably saved our lives …… We all laughed it off and Jeff had to live it down over the next few days. Anyway, regardless of the truth it made for a great story.
I miss Jeff and his stories, teasing and laughter. He had so much charisma. I always believed he would be a successful salesman like his dad or a businessman someday. Tragically he died too young. Someday I hope to square up the facts regarding the “Tailing Incident” with both him and the car driver on the other side.
I remember him telling that story and so many more, especially during the "Grain Belt" days - he always had us in stitches - hope you share a lot more of them when you're all together next week!
Kent Vilendrer
I’ve been thinking about Jeff lately. I got to know him from caddying at North Oaks. We had a group of WBL caddie guys that hung out together during Junior High and it included Jeff, Howard Wanless, Mike Gangl, Mike Levasseur, Greg Jorgenson and a few others I’m probably forgetting. Our favorite pastimes were playing golf, biking to the beach and playing cards, usually in Jeff's basement. The consistent poker winners were Truex and Gangl. I sometimes felt like Howard and I were there to make the pot more substantial for those two 😊.
Jeff had a large personality. He was always laughing, telling jokes and teasing the rest of us. He was the ringleader of the group. I remember one night we all decided to meet at the Avalon theater (translated: our parents dropped us off there). After the movie we walked home. On the way Jeff was telling a funny story and began looking over his shoulder a few times. Finally, he says “That car back there has been following us a few blocks, let’s turn here”. We turn and the car, about 200 feet, back makes the turn with us. In the meantime, Jeff changes up to telling news stories he’s heard about axe murderers, child abductors, crazed guys that everyone though were normal... We make another turn and the car is still following us. As Jeff continues telling his horror stories, he gets more animated and fearful. Several turns later, with the car still tailing us, we find a house of someone we know and walk up to the front door to escape the threat. The car stops in front of the house and the guy rolls down his window. Jeff shrieks out “He’s got a gun”!!! We all scatter like jack rabbits jumping fences, tripping over shrubs, hiding behind trees… whatever we can do to get away. The guy rolls up his window and drives off.
Sometime after the adrenaline wears off we come out of hiding and gather under a streetlamp to compare notes about what just happened. “Did you see how you jumped that fence?” “Did you think that little tree was going to stop a bullet?”… Comments like that. The conversation eventually shifts to the gun. What kind of gun was it? How big was it? “Was it shiney or black?”……. “I don’t know, I didn’t see it.” “I didn’t see it either.” One guy finally says “Hey Jeff, I didn’t see any gun.” The next guy. “Me neither Jeff”. Someone cat calls “He’s got a gun!!!”. Jeff mounts his best defense claiming that the guy had a gun and that he had it pointed at us and it’s too bad no one else saw it because he probably saved our lives …… We all laughed it off and Jeff had to live it down over the next few days. Anyway, regardless of the truth it made for a great story.
I miss Jeff and his stories, teasing and laughter. He had so much charisma. I always believed he would be a successful salesman like his dad or a businessman someday. Tragically he died too young. Someday I hope to square up the facts regarding the “Tailing Incident” with both him and the car driver on the other side.
Alan Lightfoot
Great memories , hold them tight .❤️
Jean Remus (Arndt)
I remember him telling that story and so many more, especially during the "Grain Belt" days - he always had us in stitches - hope you share a lot more of them when you're all together next week!
RIP, Jeff...