Posted by Don Hall on December 4, 1999:

I first got to know Jeff in the Cadet Chapel Choir. He was one of the movers and shakers in anything "singing" at West Point. We then ended up in L-2 together our Cow year. I was still young and wet behind the ears and Jeff was the "old man" of the company. We learned a lot from him. Jeff served as one of my ushers when I got married (first time, of course) at Ft Myer, Va. in July of 1964. Besides doing a great job as usher, and bringing some calmness and maturity to the proceedings, he helped out in another way. The bride and groom needed a way to get from the church at Ft Myer to the reception at Ft McNair. Jeff volunteered us the use of his new car. So we rode in a fancy black Cadillac from Myer to McNair. Actually the car wasn't new, I think it was a year old. Jeff's Dad had given it to him as a graduation present. Jeff's Dad was, by the way, an undertaker and had used the car in his business. Jeff assured us that no dead bodies had actually been in the vehicle. He is probably looking down on me now as I write this and smiling, knowing full well there was at least one dead body in there!! My other great memory of Jeff was at Ft Leavenworth. We were in the Bicentennial class and Jeff organized a barbershop chorus to sing at a gala near the end of our schooling in May of 1976. He started with nothing (ok, he had Bob Balderson helping) and produced an unbelievable show. I still listen to the tape made of the singing and marvel at the sounds he coaxed from a bunch of untrained voices. This Christmas when we sing the carols and Christmas anthems, remember Jeff up there directing us all. He will be missed.

admin