Since you were always a fan of technology, and also because we often communicated through email and text messaging Gary and I felt it fitting that we send you just one last message. 

Of all the things that we didn’t say to you while you were here the most important is probably that we love you.  Being brothers that just isn’t something that was repeated too often.  Certainly not nearly as often as we both now wish it were.  Instead though, maybe it would be better if we told you why we love you, which surely through the years you understood on some level just as we knew you loved us.

Without getting into a lot of history that we all know about each other and the years spent counting the days until freedom would come after the agitation of high-school we’ll start with the more recent times.

Jeff, there was just something about you that made everybody smile.  You were by far the most intense and passionate person we’ve ever know and because of your lead we couldn’t help but follow.  From our early days racing pedal bikes around the flower garden to watching you launch over another car at the X-Games, we were perfectly content following you in whatever you did.

Make no mistake though, we all have had our own achievements.   Yet, none of ours out-shined yours.  Not that it mattered to us if they did anyway.  Somehow you had a way of making us believe, probably because you so sincerely believed it, that there is enough opportunity and room for excellence out there that the achievements of others in no way dilutes your own.  We remember how happy you were when our team finally won the Worlds Championship in 2005.  You got a 4th and still cried tears of joy for the accomplishment that we all shared.  Then again in 2007 we experienced the same once again.  Never once would you say something that would diminish the accomplishments of others.  Never once would you fail to appreciate what others are able to do for themselves.  And never once  did either of us ever feel that you were anything but proud of us for all of the things we have done.

Jeff, we just want to thank you for being such a great brother and equally so, for being such a great friend.  It wasn’t just us that we want to thank you for befriending though.  It is for being a friend to so many that made us so proud of you in this way. 

No matter what your passion was of the time, be it water cross, ice ovals, rally racing, karaoke, shifter-carts, boating, or any of the many other activities that occupied your life, you built a circle of friends around each, and ever expanded the lot of lucky people who got to experience your intensity and charm.  We have all felt it.  Being around you was an experience unto itself.  You have touched the lives of hundreds of people in so many positive ways that we cannot even begin to list enough to do your memory justice.

From the company picnics where you would spend all day playing with the youngsters who attended to the all day fun filled parties at your house (which ever one you were in at the time did not matter) everybody who was around you felt something special.  They felt appreciated, they felt like you really wanted them to be happy, and they felt that you really wanted their friendship.  For good reason too, because its all true.  While it is not exactly a matter of record that there were cases of the lame and halt who have returned from your home whole, it is certainly a fact that there are hundreds of people who returned from an afternoon or evening with you affected positively in many other ways. 

Your attention to detail helped you succeed at everything you did tangibly.  Your attention to people helped you succeed at everything you did in the abstract.  Sadly, it is only now that we have reflected on what an impact you have made on not only our lives, but the countless others as well.  You were a great brother, a great friend, a great husband, a great father, a great role model, a great boss, and just simply: a great person that will be missed more than you can ever know. 

You were only 30 years, 1 month, and one day beyond your birth and you have achieved more than any else I know.  We’ve talked about the racing, but we haven’t talked about work.  On a superficial level some may say that your succession and buy-out of dad’s construction company was nepotistically contrived.  But just below the surface, for anyone taking the time to look, we all see your unfailingly quick and beautiful mind, and your uncanny ability to build teams and captain them so that every member feels a strong connection and is deeply dedicated to the success of the venture.  We know and have always known how smart you are.  We have watched you expand and lead this company in to bigger and better things.  We know that you were a born leader.  We know that you chose the job because of your abilities and your appetite for challenge.  We know that you would have been a success no matter how things began.  And we know this all because we know you.

The people who know you little can still appreciate the things we have said so far.  Those of us who know you best can add story after story to add texture and color to feelings we have.  From the late night hell-rides in one of your insanely fast cars, to the hand-stand walking competitions, you made things interesting.  Life by itself always moved too slow for you and you lived fast.  The old adage about living life to it’s fullest apply more aptly to you than anyone else we know.  You did.

We know this note is getting a little long, and we’ll try to wrap it up.  It is just so hard to have to say good bye to you that we could just sit here and type story after story about all the great times we had.  We love you so much Jeff and cannot stand the thought of not being able to see you tomorrow.  You touched so many lives and we are all better off immeasurably for having known you.

Thank you for everything.  We miss you and may God Bless you.

Love Andy and Gary.