John David "Jay" Hartley Jr.

John David "Jay" Hartley Jr. grew up in Exeter, RI, later relocating to Lafayette, CO where he lived for 15 years. Son of Norma and J. David Hartley, Jay attended Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, RI, along with his brother Benjamin Hartley. He graduated from Amherst College and Columbia Law School. He passed the bar in 3 states, later earning his CPA and running a tax accounting practice in Boulder.

He was married for 13 years to his college classmate, Jennifer Signore, with whom he shared his pride and joy, two daughters, Vanessa, 25, and Margot, 22 who now live in Chicago. Following their divorce Jay and Jen co-parented and remained close friends. Jay later remarried and was with his beloved wife, Wendy Hartley, for 7 years, broadening his family to include her sons, Kent and Nick Havell.

Jay was an art history major who studied abroad in Rome while at Amherst. Both his father and grandfather were artists. He enjoyed visiting museums and galleries and sketching in his spare time. He played soccer through college and also worked as a youth coach. He enjoyed hiking, cycling, and motorsports, notably racing his motorcycles and watching Moto GP. Jay made several trips to Martha's Vineyard with family and especially treasured travel with Wendy to Rome and Hawaii.

There was an unfortunate battle in the background of much of Jay's adult life. He was diagnosed with a rare head and neck cancer in 2005 at just 34 years old. Tragically, he lost his beloved father Dave to cancer that same year. Jay underwent aggressive treatment which caused a number of difficult side effects but resulted in a manageable remission for 15 years. The cancer unfortunately recurred in 2020, and his health declined in the intervening years until his death. Jay's resilience and bravery were an inspiration to all who knew him. His mantra was "Defy, Persist, Endure."

Family and friends always came first to Jay. He had an exceptional character, someone you were honored to meet and couldn't help but like. He was intelligent, loving, affectionate, generous, and fiercely loyal. Jay is remembered for his sense of fun and thrill seeking, whether climbing the jungle gym with his girls, April Fools jokes, dazzling with his dance moves, riding a bike into a pool, or racing his Ducati at Laguna Seca. He enjoyed music, especially his vinyl collection of classic rock, playing cards, and reading Stephen King Novels. He was a superfan of Jaws and James Bond movies. Above all he was an empathetic listener and adoring father, son, and husband.

Jay will be deeply missed. In addition to his daughters, brother and wife, he is survived by his beloved mother Norma Hartley in Lincoln, RI. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation https://accrf.org/donate/