Jeff was born in Rupert, Idaho on January 21, 1956 to Bertha and Elmer Blatter. He was the fourth and last child in his family. He had two older brothers, Arlo and Leo, and the next youngest was Linda his beloved sister. His father Elmer was a butcher by trade, Bertha was a homemaker. Sister Linda was born with no pupils in her eyes, so when Jeff was two years old Elmer moved the family to Lancaster, California where the extended family had learned there was an eye surgeon who was willing to see if he could help her. Good fortune smiled on the family when he was able to perform a successful surgery and Linda was blessed with moderate eyesight for the rest of her life. Enough to learn to knit and crochet beautifully, a talent which Jeff was very proud of and enjoyed immensely.
The family was sealed in the Los Angeles Temple on January 13, 1962. Jeff remembered this as one of happiest days of his life, as well as for the rest of the family. It was a true blessing for the family because his father Elmer passed away on November 3, 1964 after a battle with pancreatic cancer and appendicitis. He was able to baptize Jeff after his eighth birthday in January. Bertha was remarried to Charles McDermott and they were together until Charlie passed away in 1998.
Jeff graduated from Boron, High School in Boron, California in June 1975. He attended Arizona Automotive Institute and graduated as an Auto Technician in 1977. He returned to California to work as an Auto Tech until taking a job with US Borax later that year.
He met his eternal companion, Jodi, in September 1983 in Provo, Utah and they fell in love almost immediately. They were married six weeks later on October 22, 1983 in the Los Angeles temple. They lived in Boron, California for 1 1/2 years where their first daughter was born. Jeff and Jodi have four daughters, Emily, Victoria, Stephanie and Amanda. They also have four grandchildren Zurich, Elijah, Hannah and Zarahemla. Jeff was very proud of his family and loved them all very dearly. He was very grateful that he and Jodi chose to be sealed for time and all eternity, he considered it one of the greatest blessings of their life together. Jeff brought their little family to Oregon in 1985 when he secured a job as an auto mechanic in Woodburn. Victoria was born in Silverton and they lived here until 1986. This was when he and Jodi decided to pursue some more education and they moved to Provo to attend Utah Valley University. Where Stephanie was born in Provo. Circumstances brought them back to Oregon where they now settled down and Amanda was born in Silverton. Jeff pursued several occupations and jobs including working at Fleetwood homes and finally for the last 15 years with Salem-Keizer Schools as a custodian.
In recent years Jeff was burdened with heart disease and several other minor complications until Monday, October 8, 2018 when he passed away peacefully at home.
Saturday, October 20, 2018
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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