Obituary of Jeffrey "Jeff" Robert Dusek
Jeffrey "Jeff" R. Dusek of Sayre, age 51, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at home.
He was born on May 19, 1968 in Carbondale, Illinois to Lawrence "Larry" and Evaline (Kinney) Dusek.
Jeff graduated from Waverly High School in 1986, where he was an active member of the high school band and the manager of the basketball team. While in high school, he was also a Boy Scout and a member of the Waverly-Barton Fire Department. Jeff attended Tompkins Cortland Community College before transferring to Corning Community College where he earned an Associate Degree in Communications.
Jeff spent most of his life in the Valley and was well known and loved by many. In his early years, Jeff enjoyed working at Blueberry Mountain Farm for the Walters' family. Since 1994, Jeff worked at Walmart in Sayre where he touched many lives, working in the sporting goods department and more recently in the Vision Center. Jeff often spoke fondly of the many customers who became "customer friends" of his through the years.
Jeff's life was devoted to his family and friends. He loved the laid-back beach lifestyle and vacationed in Holden Beach, California, the Outer Banks and Bethany Beach with family and friends. A kind, unassuming man, Jeff had a sly sense of humor and enjoyed good food and conversation. He also loved gardening, watching golf, rooting for the Nationals baseball team, birding, fishing, and going to bluegrass festivals. Live music was very important to Jeff. His favorite musicians were Jimmy Buffett, Mac McAnally, and especially Peter Mayer. Jeff spent one of his last weekends at a concert in Annapolis with his Lambert family friends, listening to Buffett's band members Peter and Brendan Mayer.
Jeff had a passion for the care and wellbeing of animals and will be especially missed by his feline family Joz-y and Luigi. He was a member of the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Ducks Unlimited. All his friends and family knew that if anyone needed a bird identified, their first call would be to Jeff.
His mother, Evaline Kinney Dusek, maternal grandparents Mabel and Guy Kinney, paternal grandparents George and Georgene Dusek, uncle Jack Tryon, and friends Phyllis Lambert and Randy Severn predeceased him.
Jeff is survived by his father Lawrence "Larry" Dusek of Waverly, NY, brother Brian Dusek of Waverly, NY, sister and brother-in-law Jennifer and Brian Klotz of Virginia Beach, VA, uncle and aunt Rev. Guy and Barbara Kinney and aunt Pamela J. Mitchell. He is also survived by several cousins and many dear friends, including his best friend and constant companion Michele Lambert, Kim and Art Ilnicki and family, Barb and Jim Quinn, Gloria and John Firestine, Linda Raupers and Jean and Phil Ross and families, Jim Doyle, Robert and Amy McKee, and Chad Wandell.
Friends and family may call on Monday, June 3, 2019 from 5pm-8pm at the Jay E. Lowery Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 225 South Main Street, Athens, PA. On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, from 10am-12pm at the Waverly United Methodist Church, 158 Chemung Street, Waverly, NY. Funeral services will follow at the church at 12pm with the Rev. Cindy Schulte and Rev. Guy Kinney co-officiating.
The family requests that friends dress in beach attire or bright colors to honor Jeff's love of living a fun and casual life.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Futurescapes, 2 S. River Street, Athens, PA 18810 to be used for a park bench in Jeff's name along the new Diahoga Trail on the Susquehanna River or to the Animal Care Sanctuary, 353 Sanctuary Hill Lane, Milan, PA 18831.
