Jefferson Jarvis

1944 - 2024

Jefferson Jarvis

June 8, 1944 - January 9, 2024

Bountiful, Utah - Jefferson "Jeff" James Jarvis died on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at his home in Bountiful, Utah due to complications from congestive heart failure.

Jeff was born June 8, 1944 in Hollywood, California, the second son of Army Air Corps Major John James Jarvis and wife Ellyn Louise Hennings. Jeff was one of five children including his sisters, Jane Ellyn Jarvis Wertzberger (husband Joe), Julie Ann Jarvis, and brothers Jonathan Willis Jarvis and James Van Zandt Jarvis. Jeff is survived by his wife of 47 years, Donna Kaye Dickey, and their four children: Jon Justin Jarvis (wife Sara Islas German, son Justin James, daughter Andromeda Izel); Benjamin Britt Jarvis (wife Deanne Nicole Barnett, son Brooks Christopher, daughter Vivian Britt); Daniel Burgess Jarvis (wife Sussan Karimi); and Kristyn Kaye Jarvis (husband Joseph Borrack, step-daughters Olivia and Coral).

Raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Jeff was a 1962 graduate of Arlington Heights High School (AHHS). There he was the recipient of numerous honors, including: National Merit Scholarship Finalist; President, American Legion Boys Nation (1961); All-District Quarterback; District 5A Track and Field Hurdles' Champion (two years); Winner of the James Holmes Memorial Award for excellence in sports and scholarship; President of the "J Club" (Letterman's association); and President, Allied Youth (AY) Society, a regional student sobriety organization. He was voted "Mr. AHHS" at the conclusion of his senior year.

He was appointed to the United States Air Force Academy in 1962 and assigned to Cadet Squadron 23 during his four-year enrollment. He was an annual selectee for the Commandant's List (military merit) and an occasional member of the Dean's List (scholastic merit). Jeff held both Squadron and Cadet 4th Group Staff assignments during his four years. He was a three-year varsity football player and letterman, and excelled in intramural boxing and handball. He was drummer for four years for a Cadet-organized rock'n'roll dance band. Jeff graduated June 8,1962, with a Bachelor of Science degree, Engineering. Upon graduation he was commissioned a U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant.

His initial assignments were to the USAF Security Service and AF Special Operations Group with duty tours in Alaska and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). He subsequently served a series of covert assignments with the Defense Intelligence Agency and the USAF Special Operations Group in the European Theater. His duties took him throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and the Near East. While stationed in Germany he earned his Master's Certificate in Economics from the Frei Universitat, Berlin. He returned to the United States in 1975, an Air Force Captain assigned to the US Air Staff in Washington, D.C.

Jeff was an honors graduate at the Security Service training school in San Angelo, Texas. He was also the Number One graduate of his class at the US Army Covert/Counter-Intelligence training school formerly located in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a two-time recipient of the USAF Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement. He was awarded the Bronze Star during his service in Vietnam. His military group was also awarded the USAF Outstanding Unit Award with the coveted "V" for valor in action. He was an excellent marksman and strategist. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 1975.

Jeff was formerly married to Anne-Francoise Yschard of Paris, France, from 1971 to 1976. Jeff adopted and raised Anne's son, Francois-Xavier, who later died in a traffic accident near Woodbridge, VA, in 1989. Following his divorce from Anne, Jeff became a later-in-life convert to the Mormon faith. He subsequently met Donna Kaye Dickey and was married and sealed to her on June 11,1977, in Utah's Salt Lake City LDS Temple.

Upon his separation from the Air Force in 1977, Jeff was first employed as a Business Consultant by the Accounting Firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co. His career assignments included projects in California, Washington, D.C. and Newport, Rhode Island. He later accepted employment with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in Dallas, Texas. His EDS career included job transfers to Texas, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Alabama and eventually Georgia. He started at EDS as a Systems Analyst, was promoted to Account Manager and then Regional Manager, and eventually to a Division Vice President. Following an early retirement from EDS Jeff formed his own engineering development company, Back Lot Technology LLC. Through the aegis of the Advanced Technology Development Center at Georgia Institute of Technology, he developed and patented a world-wide applicable active Radio Frequency Identification & Tracking system for personnel and inventory control (Patent #6690675).

Jeff was a fifth generation Texan. His great-great-grandfather, Isaac Van Zandt, was appointed by General Sam Houston in 1840 as one of the new Republic's ambassadors to the United States government, where he helped negotiate and write the Treaty of Annexation by which the Texas Republic joined the expanding United States. Jeff's great-grandfather, Major James Jones Jarvis, married Isaac's daughter, Ida Van Zandt. Major Jarvis helped fund and move the institution now known as Texas Christian University from Waco to Ft Worth. In 1910, Ida worked with Major Jarvis to donate land for what became Jarvis Christian College (now University), a historically Black college, located near Hawkins, Texas. Jeff's grandfather, Van Zandt Jarvis, was a former Mayor of Ft Worth and the head of TCU's Board of Regents for almost 30 years. He was also a prominent cattleman, running herds on more than 26,000 acres at one time in three north Texas counties.

Jeff's parents were a major influence on his life. Jeff's father, John James Jarvis, attended the Virginia Military Institute before World War II. During the war he served four years as a pilot and Squadron Commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps. John was awarded the USAF Air Medal for commanding the first trial flight of fighter aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Africa to deliver air cover for US Army Forces fighting in North Africa. John also served two years "flying the Hump" in the Indo-Burma-China Theater of War. John began his postwar career as a cattleman. He later earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas Tech University and a Master's Degree in Behavioral Psychology from TCU. Jeff's mother was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from TCU and later earned a Masters Degree in Sociology from Louisiana Tech.

Jeff's parents were ardent Christians who believed in active service to their fellow man. Following their example and counsel, at 65 years old Jeff formed PKN, a private, non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to technology transfer for developing nations, such as desalination, renewable energy generation and waste management. Jeff later formed Falkon, LLC as a humanitarian organization to provide equestrian therapy for military and first responder victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jeff held a number of Ward and Stake positions in ten different Wards across seven states during his years of church membership. Jeff's callings included Counselor in three Bishoprics, two Stake High Council assignments, six assignments as Ward Mission Leader, numerous assignments as a Gospel Doctrine Teacher, once as High Priest Group Leader, three times as an Elder's Quorum Priesthood Instructor, twice as Assistant Scoutmaster, and ultimately as a Temple Worker at the Bountiful Temple in Utah.

Jeff survived a year's hospitalization for polio as a child. The long-term effects of his childhood Polio returned to plague him in his senior years, and he suffered two major heart attacks in his post middle-age. His once-sturdy body began to fail, exacerbated by repeated exposure to Agent Orange during his Vietnam War experience. That exposure caused him to eventually become a 100% disabled Veteran. Polio also drastically affected his bones in his later life, and at age 65 he suffered the first of an eight-year series of mobility setbacks, including both knee and both hip replacements, a series of life-threatening leg infections, and various vein failures. At one point he was hospitalized and confined to a wheelchair for almost a year while undergoing extensive therapy for a shattered femur. These distractions eventually required the full-time use of walking aids.

Jeff was a lifelong archery enthusiast and licensed private pilot. He's hiked more than 700 miles on the Appalachian Trail from a number of solo and Boy Scout Troop treks. Jeff was a voracious reader and modest art collector. He was always attentive to the call of duty from whatever direction it came, be it from home, military, or from his Church and Priesthood leaders.

Jeff was the author of a book of poetry and prose before his college graduation. In his post-retirement years he published a four book series of e-book adventure stories for young adults. The stories were drawn from his Special Operations experiences in the jungles of Southeast Asia. He loved "spinning yarns" for friends and family, but especially for his beloved grandchildren.

Jeff loved life. He strove to be a modern Renaissance man, adept in multiple disciplines - an athlete, a musician, a pilot, a scholar, an engineer, a poet, an author, an inventor, a world traveler, an outdoorsman, a hunter, a businessman, a philanthropist, an art collector, a teacher, a spy, a soldier, and spiritual guide. He cherished his childhood and high school friends, his Priesthood brethren, and the many new friends from multiple walks of life he met along the way.

He was generous to all. He remained an inveterate, life-long optimist, and the only "depression" he ever experienced were the dips in the ground that he confidently strode across. Jeff steadfastly maintained that each day had its own smiles even if we had to provide them. He dearly loved music in all its varieties. He especially loved whistling and singing, a love for the latter which he displayed by cheerfully sliding between many notes or pitches while trying to follow some oft elusive melody. Sadly for him but to the relief of many others, he was rejected by every choir to which he applied.

His greatest love was and always remained "My extraordinary wife Donna and my family through her." His love for Donna, his eternal companion, was evident to all that knew them. He always referred to her as "a woman of uncommon grace and beauty, a great gift from Heavenly Father." He was a fully committed disciple of his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeff's favorite literary quote was Robert Browning's "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for?". His favorite scriptural quotes are from the Book of Mormon, Second Nephi, Chapter 25, verses 23 and 26.

Jeff was a man who cared deeply, fought valiantly, and served gratefully all his days. Of his many scholastic, sports, military, and professional awards, his proudest titles were those of Husband, Father, and Grandfather ("Paca"). His family and friends love him dearly and will remember him always.