Jeff was such a nice guy he had moved in to the house next to ours not long before he passed my heart goes out to Emerson and Olivia they are very strong girls

Jeff and I met at the Culinary Institute of America in 1995. Truly an amazing, talented, funny, passionate and loving person. He is and always will be my dearest friend. Throughout the years he helped me through some of the toughest times of my life. Always straight forward and honest. I received the blessings of meeting him and carrying memories of him. His spirit lives on and he continues to live in every life he touched.

“You and I will meet again, When we’re least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won’t say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again.” -Tom Petty My friend is gone. Jeff Maiani I will miss you. I love you brother. We first met in junior high school. Steinbeck. We had weight training class together, and we somehow struck up a conversation about music, particularly the band Styx, who I had just discovered, and he was already into. He invited me to hangout after school to listen to them and some other bands. That day began a friendship that lasted over 40 years. Through school, work, life itself...he was always there for me, as I tried to be for him. We dealt with bullies, life changes, the loss of loved ones and other obstacles put in front of us. He was my first roommate, and we relished watching David Letterman every night as we turned in, actually as he fell asleep on the couch. In honor of my friend, my heart breaks as I put together my Top Ten Jeff List: 10. When we were in JR high, the first Halloween we were hanging out, we kind of agreed that we were too old to go Trick or Treating. However, we still wanted to do something, so with his mom's permission, we created a haunted house in his garage. It was the first time I had ever done something like that and started my lifelong obsession with Halloween and creating haunted houses. 9.He was the ONLY person to ever get me to ride Space Mountain. Twice. In a row! 8. He got me my job at Nordstrom Oakridge Mall when I was having difficulties finding anything. And I was 20 and pretty picky, and he told me to shut up and apply. 7. When he was living down in Los Angeles, we spent a few evenings exploring the amazingness of Hollywood in the late 80's. Yes, it was just like the movies. 6. I moved out of my parent's home when I was 22. Jeff and I shared an apartment on Branham Lane, and it was the first time being out on our own for both of us. Thank God he had already displayed a knack for cooking, because all I knew how to make was wienies rice and ketchup. 5. We first started playing air guitar in jr high...years later in that apartment, we STILL had air guitar jam sessions from time to time. 4. Drama Club at Gunderson High school. Jeff was the one who convinced me to go to my first play while we were still in jr high school by telling me his sister (who I thought was really cute) was in it, as well as a lot my friends who were a grade ahead of me. I shall never forget their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, it brought out a love of theater I never knew I had, and when I got to Gunderson, I worked on or appeared in every single production until I graduated...and then I STILL went back to do more. 3. Trusting me. With his friendship, and trusting that if he asked for my opinion or guidance, I would do my very best to try and help him illuminate his path. As I trusted him. 2. He was always grateful, for small favors and large ones. Or even if you didn't think you did anything particularly special, Jeff did...and thanked you for it. 1. Just being my friend unconditionally for over 40 years. We would lose touch, and then reconnect, then lose touch and then reconnect again. We would always check in, and have a laugh or two or twelve. I'll still check in brother. Every time I hear a Styx song, or some great blues guitar, or smell some great cooking, I'll look up at the sky and say as we always do... "Duuuuude...what's up? I was just thinking about you..." And I always will. "I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory Some happy, some sad I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had We live happily forever, so the story goes But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold But we'll try best that we can to carry on...”

Maiani‘s Rainbow: As I sat crying on my wife’s shoulder, my daughter asked me what was wrong. I told her a good friend from high school died. Moments later, she said, “Oh my God. Look at the beautiful sky outside.“ I looked and saw a rainbow. I met Jeff at Gunderson High School and the first musical we did was “Finian’s Rainbow”. Much later in life, the main thing we focused on and shared about were our kids. He loved his daughters so much. We recently reconnected on Facebook after he’d taken a break from the grid for a while. Jeff, I know you’re not near the girls you love, but your love is within them.

We all strive to do something in our life and work to affect people. We want to provide purpose and sustinance. Jeff did actually that, his work provided an opportunity of trying something new and remembering something from home. We should all be so lucky to affect so many people. Thank you Jeff.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.