Jeff was born May 2, 1956 to Arthur Ray and LaRae (Powell) Jolley in Los Angeles, CA. He married Tanya Neilson on April 6, 1973 in Salt Lake City, UT at age 17. They became the proud parents of 5 beautiful children by the age of 27 and he was an enormously proud great grandfather by the age of 50.
His lifelong career was as an extremely talented Machinist and Master Tool & Dye Maker, working for reputable companies, such as: Purolator Manufacturing, Blanchard Metal, Utah Stamping, Modyne Machine and Manufacturing and Reckitt Benckiser. In the 1980’s, he was responsible for creating the machine dye that formed the LDS sacrament cups. He was a master mechanic that taught all of his boys how to build or re-build car engines and could make just about anything work.
He was a member of the LDS Church and a fiercely loyal, tirelessly committed and hard working Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather. His posterity was his greatest joy in his life. His entire world and reason for living was his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as he tirelessly worked to provide for, play endlessly with and love continually with pure “God-like” unconditional love. He was the greatest example to all who knew him of what it meant to be hard-working, dedicated, selfless, guileless, silly, humble, loyal, playful, patriotic and full of nothing but pure love for his family and lifelong friends.
He loved to camp, boat, water ski, play all “ball” sports, motorcycling through his beloved “Utah”, extreme parasailing 12,000 feet over the island of Oahu, Hawaii and flying, a passion he learned when he a young man but wasn’t able to pursue further as a busy, dedicated husband and father of 5. So, on June 30, 2018, his sons and grandson gave him his top and one of many “bucket list” items; a 90 minute flight in a World War II fighter plane in Heber, Utah where he was able to fly “solo” for 15 minutes and have the ride of his life!
He always wanted to explore the Universe, so his family is at peace knowing he’s right where he belongs. We know that we will all reunite and explore the Universe with him, in due time.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Tanya; 5 children, 25 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
Troy Jolley - Austin, Tyson, Cody, Aspen
Alisha (daughter) – Jesse, Ceasha, Sammantha, Nikohl, Xyialia, Naydeen (deceased)
Derick Jolley – Alieah, Auzsha, Haley, Mykah, Rayden
Brandon Jolley – Kaleb, Brook
Justin – Mia, Harmonie, Daydon, Tiley
12 Great Grandchildren
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