Jeffrey Fancher

Jeffrey Alan Fancher, or Jitta as he was known to those who loved him best, passed away on Friday October 21, 2022. Jeff was a dedicated professional with an impressive career as a safety engineer spanning more than four decades, but it was his role within his family that he cherished above all else.
As a father of four and a grandfather of six, his favorite thing in life was planning the next epic family adventure. Some highlights include four separate Wild West Adventures as he called them, all culminating at Yellowstone National Park, multiple action-packed trips to Orlando, countless hours spent on the beaches of Gulf Shores and an incredible vacation to Napa Valley.
Jeff was also famous for all the time-honored family traditions he started over the years. There were family bowling Sundays, poker games for the kids where he used his spare change to make sure they each had a “stake” and dozens of euchre tournaments over the years, including elaborate online versions to get the family through the early months of the COVID pandemic. The beloved Party Yacht Day every summer and the International Christmas Dinner Challenge are also among his long list of traditions. Many creative and notorious nicknames for family members and pets can be attributed to Jeff. He can also be credited with the creation of several of the Fancher family’s most commonly used unique words and phrases, such as “rash” as a verb, flexible usage of the word “outrage”, “OPC” and “I’d rather jab a sharp stick in my eye.” 
Jeff was born March 4, 1957, in Mendota, Illinois, to Leland and Mary Fancher. He attended Holy Cross Elementary School and later Mendota High School, where he was a member of the cross-country and golf teams. Jitta forged many friendships while growing up in Mendota that continued throughout his entire life. Most importantly, this is where he met his wife, Vicki Hawkins Fancher.
Following high school, Jeff and Vicki attended Illinois State University together, where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety. He later went on to earn a master’s degree in Industrial Technology with emphasis in Safety. He then launched his impressive career in loss control, beginning with USF&G, progressing through several corporate mergers and intentional changes, to finally find true career satisfaction at Great American Insurance Group, a company so great, he once said, that no one wants to retire. His career led the family from Illinois to Georgia, before they finally settled for good in Indianapolis, Indiana, apart from a failed six-month experiment in Maryland in the early 1990s.
Jitta was a lifelong sports fan. He loved playing and watching golf. One of his great joys in life was making the trip into Chicago to catch a Cub’s game. He was as patient and fair a softball coach as there ever was; one time when his team was ahead by more than ten runs, he benched all the star players or sent them to the outfield so that the less experienced players could have a chance to experience playing infield. He refused to listen to any complaints from parents in the stands and he earned the respect of every kid on his team.
Family first was Jeff’s motto in life. Despite the cost and the amount of work, he put a pool in and worked to create a backyard oasis. Island music was always playing, and the cooler was always stocked. Hawaiian shirts were definitely encouraged, and he had some great ones. There was always a seat at the table for anyone who wanted to join in the fun. He was the ideal euchre partner, neither too risky and aggressive or too timid and reserved. Everyone wanted him on their team for Trivial Pursuit; he always knew all the most random information. Plus, let’s be honest, who else ever knew the baseball and golf questions!
In recent years, Jeff and Vicki loved to take road trips, especially to attend concerts. Some favorites include “Asleep at the Wheel” and “The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.” Jeff faced a serious illness during the last few years of his life, but his focus remained solely on being at the helm of the family ship and continuing all his beloved traditions. It was important to him to be as involved in the lives of his grandchildren as possible. He was always up for an adventure, big or small. Nothing brought a smile to his face quite like finding a hot dog on a concession stand menu! A grandchild would mention something in passing, such as wanting to get a slushie from the gas station, and before they knew what was happening, Grandpa was loading them into the car to go get one. Usually they left with way more than just a slushie too!
Jeff’s passing leaves a void in the family that will be impossible to truly ever fill, but his memory will live on in all the memories he made and the traditions that he created. Jeff was preceded in death by his mother, Mary. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Vicki; his children, Sarah (Brian), Kate (Jon), Jacob and Laurie; his grandchildren, Julian, Xander, Grak, Alaina, Emma and Alexis; his father, Leland; his siblings, Bill, Cathi (Wayne), Cindy (Greg), Marylee (Kyle) and John (Dawn); an endearingly cantankerous cat named Eris; and lots of additional extended family members.
Per Jeff’s request a formal funeral is not being planned, but the immediate family plans to gather for a private celebration of life. There will be a larger memorial planned for a future date. Donations can be made in Jeff’s honor to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation or to your local animal shelter. Any organization that helps dogs in need would be near and dear to his heart.