True Friend

Memories of my friend Jeff Kartchner,

I feel honored to share a few thoughts and memories of a great man in my eyes, my friend Jeff Kartchner. Our family moved to the Gilbert area about 22 years ago, Jeff was the third or fourth person I can remember meeting the first time we attended our new ward. Ironically it wasn’t long before Jeff and I would be working together in the young men’s. During this time of serving together I began to see many noteworthy character strengths Jeff possessed. We all have different memories that would differ greatly about a person, here are a few that I would like to share about Jeff.

When I think of Jeff I think of an old blue dump truck, it looked scary, it looked old, but it always seemed to start and get the job done. We used this old blue dump truck for many service projects hauling off trash, teaching young men to work, helping neighbors and so forth. I can remember often getting calls from Jeff stating he would be a little late and that he was returning from a job somewhere in the valley. Next thing you know here comes the old smoking, dirty blue dump truck often with a tractor in the back. Jeff would jump out, dust off his pants from the day’s work and jump right in with whatever needed to be done. Then there was the blue Chevy truck Jeff drove for work, I’m here to testify to anyone whoever reads this that Jeff will never be accused of being prideful, anyone one who would drive that truck is a humble man!! That Chevy truck looked like it had hit everything but the lottery! I’m sure Jeff has many fond memories of that truck and all the many projects he built using that blue truck.

My next memory is short, but as I reflect on the first time I saw the house Jeff framed and completed the exterior on for Bob and Cindy Yost in the White Mountains I can remember vividly how breath taking it looked. I know there are a few young-men from our ward who Jeff took with him to help build it, I’m sure they still talk about it to this day and will someday share the story with their grandchildren as well.

The last memory I would like to share is about a supper activity Jeff and I were in charge of, this is so long ago Jeff may not remember, but to me the memory is as clear as yesterday. At the tail end of the activity we joined all the Stake young-men for 2 days somewhere between Eagar and Show Low in the White Mountains. We had many activities and learned many new skills. On the last day before we were to go home (I really wanted to go home) we had a morning fireside on top of what Jeff called a hill; I’m here to tell you it was a mountain (to me it was Mount Everest). Walking up this mountain was a very hard task, it took me over an hour and fifteen minutes, I stopped many times to catch my breath, my heart hurt so bad I honestly thought this would be where I would die. When I was about 80% of the way to the top Jeff passed me headed down, I thought oh good we are going to do something different and I won’t have to finish the climb. I asked Jeff where he was going, he said he needed to go get something or maybe he had to find someone? I remember getting to the top, sitting down thinking someone needs to get a helicopter to get me back down. Within 30 minutes Jeff was back, I was amazed he could go down and up again so fast and this made 2 times for him, I was still red in the face and breathing hard, Jeff just stood there, breathing normally, able to talk unlike me I couldn’t get my breath for over an hour. Jeff asked me once or twice if I was okay? I had to man up and say yes, but I was dying inside wondering if my Life Insurance payments were current? I was very mad when I found out many of the other leaders came up the back way in trucks (not fair). I decided that day that Jeff was part Goat or part Donkey what human could do what he did?

In closing I want to share my love for Jeff, for the true friend he has been. The unbelievable best Home Teacher our family has ever had. The best compliment I could ever pay to Jeff is he is the only man who I can compare to my Grandfather, both were honest hardworking men. Both were good humble priesthood holders, both spent much of their lives serving in young men’s calling, both taught many boys to work and to be men.

Happy Birthday Jeff, this has been a hard hard year, you have endured it well, you have set such a Christ-like example to us all.

Love you,

Dean