I received a letter in the mail today....

From a former co-worker of Jeff's. It was very moving and I would like to 'read' it to you...

To the family of Jeff Young:

I worked with Jeff at AgLeader in the Tech Support Department. He was promoted to Software Development soon after I completed my internship during 1999, but in the months before he was my mentor. I was a farm boy from Eastern Iowa who hadn't been off the farm much and had no business experience whatsoever, but Jeff treated me with respect from day one. If I had a problem that I couldn't figure out, I talked to 'JYoung' as we called him. He was like a big brother - always looking out for me, teaching me how to communicate with customers in difficult situations, explaining in plain terms how the product we were supporting worked. The thing is, though, even though I felt like it, it's not like he treated me specially - he treated all of his coworkers in the Tech Support department with the same care, consideration and overall easy-going attitude. He took his job seriously - but could keep perspective when a customer or coworker got upset. He was a great calming influence when things got heated. He led by example - both with his words and his actions. To boil it down, Jeff cared about his customers, coworkers and his family. I wouldn't become a parent for several years after my time spent as a coworker, but the pride that he had when he talked about his young daughters and their antics made him a great role model for many of us that would become fathers in the future.

Once Jeff was promoted to the Software division we didn't see as much of him - but we knew he was on to bigger and better things. Everyone knew he deserved the promotion - I don't think anyone questioned it. He'd more than earned it. Those of us left in Tech Support knew we'd have a huge hole to fill with his promotion, and boy did we ever! He didn't walk away, though - he made sure his loyal callers had someone they could count on in Tech to take care of them (and I have a feeling he did continue to help out a fair share of them for the first year or so). His commitment to being there for those that had counted on him testifies to his character and convictions. He'd still stop over from time to time to see how things were going and talk about "the good old days"....His work ethic and attitude was instilled in some of us, and we went forward reminiscing how JYoung would finish a call, pick up the next and solve the problem in 60 seconds, pick up the next and get that caller going, all while responding to an email or ordering parts. He was sometimes referred to as "The Cleaner" - meaning there wasn't anyone that could do it as quickly and correctly as Jeff. He cleaned up the messes.

I left AgLeader in August 2002. In the years since, I haven't had as much contact with Jeff as I'd liked, but occasionally we'd send an email back and forth. I probably never told him how much of an influence he'd had on my personal development during the time I spent working with him in Tech Support. I sent him an email just to check in in early December and included a picture of my two boys in a combine cab. He responded in his usual fashion - laid back, used a line from when we were in Tech Support about the boys wanting to 'let 'er eat' (code for driving the combine). I couldn't help but smile and laugh. I also sent an email just last week asking about possible solutions to a complex problem on of my customers is facing. I figured - if anyone will know, The Cleaner will know. And he'll tell me straight up if there is no way it can be fixed too. I'll never get a response to that email....pretty hard to imagine that JYoung won't be around to help out...I'm so thankful that I had the chance to talk with him before these recent unfortunate events. I'll always remember Jeff as a great role model and teacher. He will be missed by so many.

(handwritten to me) Lesa: It's been years since I saw Jeff but he would always smile when he talked about you or the kids. He was a great role model.

I'm glad that other people saw what I saw in him - greatness. I'm just sorry that it took what happened for it to be said. I've said it before, but I'll say it again...What JY and I had was far from perfect, but we had everything a marriage should have (fights, stupid words and silence), but it worked for us and at the end of the day it was love. My heart hurts so bad for myself, for Emily and Allyson, for his parents/step-parents, his sisters, my parents, my sister and BIL, his nieces and nephews, his friends and for all of the people he touched. There is a giant void where he used to be and some days the pain is unbearable. On those days I can hear him telling me, 'L, pull it together, I'll pick you up if you need it, but I know you don't....'

Hug the one's you hold close. I'm sending out a ((hug)) to all of you reading this, because you are the one's I hold close.

Luv,
L