From Cousin Sally Schott:

 

Jeffrey loved music and was not shy about bursting forth in song. He sang the responses with the priest at Mass with great gusto. Even though a click late at times, he never lacked for enthusiasm. He sang Rogers and Hammerstein, Lerner a...nd Lowe. . .all the great Broadway musicals were a part of his repertoire. For many years, the reigning priest (Father Bill or Father Joe) always preceded the prayer when 40 or 50 family members circled prior to a holiday meal with a request for Jeffrey to lead a preliminary song or two. And Jeff always chose something appropriate, for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, or for his belated birthday on the 4th of July, when the entire U.S. decked out in red, white and blue and shot off fireworks. Of course he knew all that pomp and ceremony, including the Boston Pops concert on PBS, was in honor of the date of his birth!

 

Remembering Jeff's uncanny ability to identify any musical he had ever seen if just a few measures of any song in that musical were sung--he could shout out the title and never missed. Also smiling at the memory of his rousing start to a calm game of multi-handed pounce: "On your marrrk, get seeeeet, GO! Going way back to my childhood, remembering the wonderful book Dale Evans wrote, "Angel Unaware", about the special child she and Roy Rodgers raised. What are considered obstacles and challenges by some can be turned into triumphs. First Jeff's wonderful parents Mary and Joe and then his brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews who patiently provided the attention, love and care which allowed Jeff to transcend his limitations allowed him to have a life which was significant and impactful. Wishing all of you comfort in this time of loss.