Jeff's Obituary

For those of you who do not have access to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, I thought you might like to read Jeff's obituary as it ran in today's Sunday edition:

DODD, JEFFREY NEAL

Jeff Dodd, age 36, died on Thursday, September 25th 2008 from metastatic melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. He has promised to always be with his wife, Kelly, his daughters, Aubrey (age 13), and Regan (age 9), and his sons, Jack (age 7) and Finn (age 16 months).

Jeff was grateful for the life he lived. In time, he lived in Lincoln, Nebraska, Maynooth, Ireland, and South Bend, Indiana before settling in Wauwatosa. For eleven years he was a work-at-home Dad and freelance writer. His passion was creative writing and he completed many poems and a screenplay with hope of one day being a published novelist. His other passion was home maintenance and remodeling which extended even to his own home—parts of which he designed, built, and maintained with his own hands.

When he found out that he had an inoperable and incurable form of cancer, he felt no regret nor did he feel a need to make drastic changes in his life. He was grateful for the opportunity to take his children to school, eat lunch with them, and play with them everyday. He instilled them with values and morals and influenced their personalities.

Jeff is survived by his parents, Mary and Gary Dodd, and four siblings, Patrick Dodd, Mary Margaret Clay, Michael Dodd, and Michelle Wait, and a large extended family consisting of far too many relatives and friends to possibly mention within the limitations of this small column. Most importantly, Jeff is survived by his best friend and wife, Kelly, who will love him and honor him all the days of her life. His personal strength, obedience, and trustworthiness lives in his daughter, Aubrey. His persistence, commitment to his convictions, and directness continues through his daughter, Regan. His beautiful face, inherent goodness, and love of God lives on in his son, Jack. And his lovely sparkle, playfulness and sense of humor shine in abundance in his son, Finn.

Visitation on Monday, September, 29, 2008, at the Funeral Home from 4 p.m. until the time of Rosary Service at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 30 at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 800 Glenview Drive, Wauwatosa at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Wauwatosa Cemetery.

Many people and causes were important to Jeff. Among them are the communities at Perry Court, Wilson Elementary School, St. Jude the Apostle Parish, and the Notre Dame Alumni Association of Milwaukee. Jeff gave selflessly to each of these organizations, serving in leadership roles and collecting friends who would generously comfort and support him throughout his last illness. He wishes to continue to support them through his death and asks that if you wish to make a memorial, you make it to either St. Jude the Apostle Parish, the Wilson Elementary School PTSA, or the LaTour/Dodd Scholarship of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Milwaukee.