Jeff Good was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away at 2:59 PM at his home. This followed a fierce yet valiant battle with cancer for the past 19 months.
On September 8, 1963, Jeffrey Duane Good was born in Rochester's Woodlawn Hospital. He was a treasured son of Junior D. and Joyce A. Burkett Good. Growing up as the youngest of the Good kids, he shared his childhood with Jeri, Jon and Jayne. With fleet feet he ran for the Zebras' cross country and distance events in track. His cross-country team mates nick-named him Cecil, a name he still answers to today. Jeff was also a member of the Zebra swim team swimming distance events and as a member of the relay teams. He graduated from Rochester High School in 1982.
During his early years Jeff was an avid skier who enjoyed pushing himself to negotiate great challenges. On Lake Manitou he was a talented bare foot skier executing perfect beach starts, jumping out of his skis and enjoyed taking flight off the big jump. As a motorcycle enthusiast, he owned a couple of Harley's, finding great joy with the freedom a great ride would bring on a warm summer day.
On November 1, 1986, Jeff married Sandy Scherbing at the Grace United Methodist Church. From their union came four handsome sons, Landon, Layton, Jeffrey II and Jakob. The family tree continued to grow with the added blessings of grandchildren Larson and Laylynn.
An avid sportsman, Jeff always followed the Chicago Bulls, Cubs and Bears, the Indianapolis Colts and all Notre Dame teams. Jeff, Jon, Loren and his Dad J.D. witnessed the Chicago Bulls ring celebration following their first championship during the Michael Jordan years. In recent years Jeff became a Boston Red Sox fan, cheering for them at Ft. Myers during spring training. Jeff's memberships include the Fraternal Order of the Eagles # 852, Manitou Moose Lodge # 1107, Sons of the American Legion Post # 36 and the Manitou VFW Post # 1343.
With a strong work ethic instilled by his Dad, Jeff began his work career while in the single digits helping his Dad sweeping the walks daily and washing cars at Foster & Good Funeral Home. In the early years it was natural as he resided in the upstairs of the funeral home with his family. During his RHS years worked at Kroger's as a stocker and carryout. Jeff worked for the concrete division of McMahan - O'Connor's bridge crew for many years, and as a full time fireman for Rochester Fire Department for 8 years. As an entrepreneur, Jeff founded the Good and Sons Concrete. Skilled with the abilities to finish concrete to perfection he poured basements, flatwork and custom jobs. During his career he built four homes during the winters. He returned to the funeral home to assist with comforting families and working meticulously to keep the premises up to the family standard.
Jeff's recent stint with Leading Edge Fabrication of Milford was another job he expressed true passion, working as a fabricator of countertops, fireplaces and other custom work utilizing granite and quartz. He truly loved and appreciated his L.E. family team. With his illness, he was unable to work consistently with the demands of the treatments, tests and medical care. He returned to the funeral home filling many gaps and during specialty work like power washing, painting, tinkering with the cars and clearing the fence rows that were overgrown.
In a nearly fatal motorcycle accident while traveling to work at L.E. in the early morning hours on July 11, 2016, Jeff's faith was solidified by surviving the accident. Prior to this he established a daily routine taking time for spiritual study by reading the Bible, daily devotions, the works of Joyce Meyer and Tim Tebow, while he was a resident of the Serenity House in Warsaw.
In July of 2018 Jeff was given a grim diagnosis, with no chance to neutralize the cancer only to be given comfort and palliative care. Jeff was showered with many prayers over the last 19 months allowing him to enjoy many things including the birth of his granddaughter, watching Larson's soccer games, more time to fish with the boys, overseeing more LG Concrete jobs, cruising the waters on Lake Manitou with Bailey Mae, riding around in the early morning with Bailey to bring fresh donuts to his Mom. He planted a beautiful truck patch garden and shared the harvest with family and friends, helped Larson pick pumpkins, hunted mushrooms and enjoyed early Sunday morning drives and driving around looking at the twinkling Christmas lights. Jeff and our family are grateful to the Parkview Cancer Center Care team for their professional and state of the art cutting edge, medical care to extend his life. The team dubbed Jeff as the "Miracle Man, " a title he truly appreciated.
During his lifetime Jeff was an accomplished chef, making many specialties that were in demand by his family including delicious chili, Italian spaghetti, sloppy and joes. As a grill-master he made amazing burgers, steaks and chicken. Jeff deep fried turkey, fresh fish he and the boys caught and alligator tails.
Known to his grands as Grandpa Cee-zee he was delighted with their visits, celebrating special family events and the holidays. In the earlier years his sons enjoyed many family vacations, spring break at Treasure Island, visits to Cedar Point, Brown County, Disney World and packing up the car and heading north to German Lake in Cleveland, MN for fishing trips.
Remembering Jeff are four sons: Landon J. Good and companion Lexie Olinger, Layton J. Good and wife Shana Jo, Jeffrey D. Good II and companion Emily Tyler and Jakob D. Good; two grandchildren: Larson Thomas Good (4), Laylynn Jo Good (3 mo), his mother Joyce A. Good, sister Jeri D. Good and brother Jon D. Good; 2 nieces Corinna Jayne Ann Good and Cassidy Jo Good, mother of his sons Sandy Good, treasured canine companion, his partner in crime the rescued Australian Cattle Dog blend Bailey Mae.
Preceding Jeff in death are his father J.D. Good, October 18, 2005, sister Jayne Ann Good, July 11, 1983, grandparents Otis and Beulah Burkett, O'Dell and Bessie Good and his miniature Schnauzers Elvis, Patty and Pepper.
A celebration of the life of Jeff D. Good will be at 1:00 PM Sunday, February 9, 2020 in the Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 West 18th Street, Rochester. Friends may visit with his family on Saturday, February 8 from 4:00 - 8:00 and an hour prior to services. Teri White will officiate. Burial will follow in the Rochester IOOF Cemetery. Preferred memorials may be made to Fulton County H.O.P.E. P.O. Box 735, Rochester, IN 46975 or The Jayne A. Good Memorial Scholarship Fund thru the Northern Indiana Community Foundation 227 East 9th Street, Rochester, IN 46975. Online expressions may be made to his family at www.goodfamilyfh.com
