Feb. 10, 1947 – Oct. 21, 2022
We are saddened to announce the death of our father, Jeffery John McCoskey. He passed away at the age of 75 at the Courtyard Assisted Living Facility, Friday, October 21, 2022. Jeff enjoyed fly fishing, camping, cooking wood working, photography, and working with the farming community. He leaves behind Cheryl, his life partner; Jacob, his son; Jessie, his daughter; Miya, Trent, Maddox and Cullen, his grandchildren. He will be sadly missed and will always hold a special place in our hearts. We will be having a celebration of life, December 2, at 4-8 p.m., held at the Ensley’s 502 N West St. Jeff would have wanted us to gather together, drink in hand, celebrating his life!
Jeff was born in Chicago, Ill., on February 10, 1947. He served in the Army where he was stationed in Germany and Vietnam after graduating high school. After his time in the Army, he found his way to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. In the islands, he became a Master Diver and worked as a scuba instructor and served time on the Calypso as a member of Jacques Cousteau’s crew.
After his island adventures, Jeff took up driving truck and moving folks across the country. That is how he met our mom, Cheryl. I fondly remember dad telling stories about how they met. It always included seeing a woman with strawberry blonde hair, and her thumb in the air. He always followed that up with, “She was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Jeff and Cheryl landed in Moscow, Idaho, where Jacob and Jessie were born. Within a few years, Jeff found work at Palouse Producers and he moved his family to Colfax, Wash. He also worked for Wilber Ellis, Colfax Grange Supply and ended his career at the Four Star Supply as manager and salesman. He was often known to carry a cooler in the back of his pickup so he could offer a cold one to farmers while discussing their crops, problematic weeds, and fishing stories. He could often be found driving far below the speed limit on country roads to check on the crops and cruising the fields on his 4-wheeler where he would sneak some time to drop a lure into the Palouse River in one of his secret holes.
Jeff loved to be surrounded by his family. Jeff and his family often gathered for dinners and dessert where he loved making, partaking in, and giving his expert pie making critiques to the various pies brought for dessert. Thanksgiving dinner was always funny. We’d all be miserably stuffed after Thanksgiving dinner, but it was important to taste test each pie. We all know that his pie was the best, because he put ample research into the best way to make each particular pie. In fact, this occurred with every dish he made, whether it was coleslaw, baked beans, or a turkey. You never left hungry. His grandson Maddox reminded us that it was proper to have ketchup with steak – A-1 should never be served!
Jeff also loved the woods! From fly fishing to camping, to taking pictures of the beauty he found. You could often find Jeff deep in the Idaho wilderness driving down a mountain road and fly fishing clear mountain rivers. Those were definitely some of his favorite times. The love of his life, Cheryl, painted a beautiful painting of him sitting on a rock in the river, fishing pole in hand, and Katie the dog at his side. This painting embodied him.
In his later years, he enjoyed sitting under the gazebo on his deck watching the fish skirt around the pond waiting for him to throw out some nibbles. He relished when an occasional deer wandered through his yard to find a tasty apple or two. We all felt the peace of this little slice of heaven offered to him. With his passing, we would like to imagine that we all visit Jeff’s adventurous spirit when near water, whether swimming in the ocean, casting a fly in a far out stream, or just gazing at some golden carp meandering at the city pond. That spirit will be missed.
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