Jeffrey Owen Barckley died on March 30,2007, succumbing to brain cancer at the age of 56. He leaves behind Estella, his wife of 18 years; son Brendan; brother Kendall; cousins in Illinois and Wales; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jeff was born in Des Moines, IA on Feb. 15, 1951 and lived in Huntington, NY from the age of 9 through high school graduation. Following graduation from Swarthmore College, he began employment with IBM where he served a variety of positions during a 34-year career. His last position was Worldwide Sales Executive for storage solutions, based in San Jose, CA.
Jeff was active in Boy Scouts in Gilroy and the band parent support group at Valley Christian High School and loved old cars. He taught Bible studies and served as a deacon and elder at San Jose Christian Reformed Church.
Visitation will be Wednesday, April 4, 2007 from 5pm to 9 pm at Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary,466 N. Winchester Blvd. Funeral services on Thursday April 5,1007 10:00 am at San Jose Christian Reformed Church, 5150 Camden Ave, with interment following at Cedar Lawn Cemetery, 48800 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont.
Remembering the Man Who Was Always Full of Questions
Jean Ellen Court has lost a resident. Gilroy Boy Scout Troop 711 has lost a leader. IBM has lost a talented engineer. And Estella and Brendan Barckley have lost a husband and a father. My son grew up celebrating Brendan’s birthday on the Barckley ranch on Jean Ellen Court in Gilroy with ponies and toy pistols, cowboy hats and petting zoos. Now Brendan Barckley is a sophomore at Valley Christian High School, an active member of the band and a Life Scout in Troop 711. His dad, Jeff Barckley, died March 30, 2007, after a struggle with cancer.
On Thursday, April 5, at the San Jose Christian Reformed Church friends, Gilroy neighbors, colleagues and a large contingent of Boy Scouts gathered to say farewell to Jeff Barckley.
Heads were nodding in agreement when Jeff’s former college roommate, Gino Bottino, described Jeff’s constant questions that kept Gino awake into the night during their college years. A fellow church member, Jeff Landis, pointed out that “the man who had so many questions is finally with the one who has all the answers.”
Tobi Brown of Boy Scout Troop 711 remembered the time she talked the Barckleys into Tiger Cubs and watched as Jeff steadily grew with the organization, finally holding the position of rank advancement chairman. Brown recalled the 12 Scout Laws for the mourners and stated Barckley was the epitome of all 12 characterizations. Dubbed Chief Crazy Pipe at camp for his prowess at fixing the sinks at Boy Scout Camp High Sierra, Barckley was the man for every job and if he was unsure of how to tackle it, he would ask enough questions to finally master the task. Jeff Barckley of Gilroy, set the example for selfless tenacity and I know Brendan will soar just as high as he reaches for the rank of Eagle in Troop 711. Ciao for now, Jeff, until we meet again.
I did not know Jeff well, but couldn't help knowing him some. Swarthmore is small, and engineering within even more so. Jeff was smart, of course, and fun-loving. One funny thing I remember about him is that he wore his underwear inside out. He said why put the rough side against your skin -- unconventional yet sensible. Right out of college he entered into a management training program at IBM where his assignments alternated between line and staff so that he could get experience with both. He told me that IBM stood for "I've Been Moved" as these assignments were all over the country.
What surprised me most, but probably shouldn't have, was his devotion to public service and his church. He was involved in Boy Scouts and other youth service organizations even before he married and had a child of his own, unlike me. Once he moved away from Philadelphia I never saw him again, but I will miss him nevertheless.
Steven Ojalvo (Rood-Ojalvo)
I did not know Jeff well, but couldn't help knowing him some. Swarthmore is small, and engineering within even more so. Jeff was smart, of course, and fun-loving. One funny thing I remember about him is that he wore his underwear inside out. He said why put the rough side against your skin -- unconventional yet sensible. Right out of college he entered into a management training program at IBM where his assignments alternated between line and staff so that he could get experience with both. He told me that IBM stood for "I've Been Moved" as these assignments were all over the country.
What surprised me most, but probably shouldn't have, was his devotion to public service and his church. He was involved in Boy Scouts and other youth service organizations even before he married and had a child of his own, unlike me. Once he moved away from Philadelphia I never saw him again, but I will miss him nevertheless.