I just recently heard of Jeff's passing, after I left the city 3+ years ago. 
He was the most genuine and caring person there. Always willing to lend an ear, give helpful advice, and sometimes just commiserate  when I was having a bad day. 
I don't think I would have lasted 18.5 years at the city without him there. 
Kelli and Katie, he loved and talked about you both so much! His face would light up any time he spoke of you. May you find peace and keep the good memories close. 
 

I’m so sorry Kelli and katie I just heard the news Jeff was a kind and good man and his legacy lives on in the city of Chandler please let me know how I can help. Love to you both Debbie

Jeff,

Over 40 years of friendship, where do I begin?  It all started at Saguaro Hall ("The Pit") at ASU the summer of 1977.  That is where lifelong bonds were made with Jeff, Joe D, and Manley.  Over the years many memories and good times where had together.  Our first apartment our sophomore year, followed by the townhouse on Donner Drive, then the crazy party house on West 7th Place.  One of my fondest memories was our road trip from Phoenix to Sioux City, Iowa for Jeff's wedding with Julie.  First stop was Denver to pick up Joe D at the airport.  The night before Jeff wanted to show me Red Rocks only to find out there was a concert that night.  We bought tickets from a guy with a garbage bag of tickets and thankfully we got into the concert.  That night we got a hotel room on Kolfax Street near the airport which at the time was a red light district.  From there we were off to Cheyanne, WY to pick up John, a childhood friend of Jeff's who was also in the wedding party.  From there through South Dakota and the Badlands to Sioux. Falls and finally to Sioux City.   The wedding was great and we all had an amazing time.

In recent years Jeff, Joe D. and I began going on annual concert trips.  Miami Beach for Iggy Pop, followed by Portland and Iggy again then Denver for Dead and Company.  Those trips were full of memories I'll never forget.

What I'll miss most of Jeff is his sense of humor, laugh, smile, and easy disposition.  Jeff, I love you, miss you, and will never forget you.  Oh, and one other thing, I want Robert Frost back!  Joe D and I are coming for him soon!

Eric

I loved Jeff.
I came to AZ in 1981 but had interviewed prior to that with Chandler.  I was interviewed by Walter B. but didn't get the job.  I believe that was the job that Jeff got - not sure.  Great history by Jackie on that though earlier in these comments.

Jeff was a hard one to read because he was so soft spoken.  I finally realized that when he said “ummm....not sure the Commission will support this” it was his gentle way of communicating that a snowball concession in hell had a better chance of approval.

I loved Jeff’s sense of humor; the wry way he would tell a story about life, family and kids.
I appreciated very much his professional candor.
I love Jeff.

My sincere condolences to all of his loved ones.

Sincerely,
Gary King

Jeff and I knew each other for 30 years. If you ever wanted to know what was going on at the City of Chandler, you always tried to connect with Jeff Kurtz. He had his finger on the pulse of just about every development. He was a kind man. He cared about everybody, maybe a little too much at times. Jeff was loyal. When you became Jeff's friend he honored that friendship. He always wanted to talk about business and about family every time we spoke.

I first met Jeff when I was a young planner at A. Wayne Smith & Associates in the mid-1980's, working on projects in Chandler. Our working relationship and friendship continued through the decades and in recent years, we would meet up at one of his favorite spots - the San Marcos - for coffee and a quick catch-up that could easily extend into a couple of hours.  He was an incredibly thoughtful man and knew Chandler inside and out.  Jeff's spirit and love of the planning profession will truly be missed.  Godspeed, my friend.

Jeff came into my life in 1988,  when I met my husband, David Kleitsch, who worked for the City of Chandler with Jeff. Anytime I couldn’t find Dave he was hanging out with Jeff in his garage, on the golf course, or local bar. (Before cell phones.)

Jeff was one of Dave’s best friends and was in our wedding. When we moved out of AZ we stayed in contact. When visiting AZ we would meet up for a meal and chat.

We will miss him!



Kelli & Katie,

Your husband had such a positive impact on so many lives. No matter wherever he is, he'll always be watching over you two. He will stay with you forever. Please accept our condolences.

Jeff Kurtz was my first boss in my career of Urban Planning and I was given the opportunity to learn from him. I enjoyed listening to his stories of development within the City of Chandler and the many people he introduced me to throughout the years. In his last couple of years with the City, he started to handoff his ongoing projects and gave me the Chandler Mall and surrounding commercial areas. He said "And remember to put benches out in front of businesses so Grandma has a place to wait." Every time I pass a bench in Chandler I hear him looking out for the Grandmas. 

I'm sad to hear about Jeff's passing, as we've been working together on a new project in Chandler, and I was looking forward to working with him from the other side of the table. Heartfelt thoughts go out to his family in this time of sorrow. 



I remember Jeff's laugh and his grin. He always had a smile walking down the halls. He was considerate when addressing my questions on the planning and zoning commission. Jeff was an all-around great guy and avid supporter of ASU.

 May our Lord watch over the family and may the memories of Jeff stay close to our hearts till we meet again! RIP

Remembering Jeff, always polite and such a gentleman!!! My sincere condolences!!!

Kelli and Katie, I am so terribly sorry for your loss.  My prayers are with you both in this difficult time.  

I truly believe Jeff knew every square inch of Chandler.  His knowledge of this city was so helpful to everyone who came to Jeff with a question.  You could always count on a good story to go with that knowledge.  One of my fondest memories of Jeff is when we met at his special coffee spot down the street so I could pick his brain in preparing for my interview for a Director position. The whole experience was so Jeff.

I will miss Jeff's unique way of looking at the world, his great stories, and all around nice guy attitude.  My deepest condolences go out to his family.

 

Jeff Kurtz was a kind, calm, competent fellow with a wry smile and a very good heart.  What a pleasure it was for me, for so many, to know and work with him.  I've missed him since his retirement, and I'll miss him the rest of my life.  May his spirit rest well and may his family be comforted.  I am confident Jeff will attend them all their days until they are reunited with him.  Goodbye, old friend.

I've known Jeff for as long as I've been with the City of Chandler.   He made great contributions to the City and certainly made his mark in terms of the land use and character of this City.   He will be missed.  Hang in there, Kelli.  We're all thinking of you and wish you the best.

My prayers are with Jeff's wife and family.   He and I worked here at Chandler for many years.   In addition to being a great person, he was the one to go to when there was a serious question about planning and the history of projects in the City.



I remember most about Jeff was when I interviewed with him and it was the best interview ever.  He was so easy going and personal.  He was easy to talk to and you could tell he was listening to the conversation going on and thinking about it.  He was fun to work with and never made you feel bad for asking questions but once he knew you he would throw a few jokes your way when he could.  I think he taught me to relax a bit in this planning profession.. do the work but don’t get too bent out of shape about it, it wont change anything.

Jeff was one of my all-time favorite people to work with.  He knew a lot, yes.  But just a wonderfully chill personality.  Practical, low-key to the max, and funny man.  So memorable.  I'll miss Jeff.

I remember once just popping into his office for some issue or another.  Out of the blue he asks, "What did your dad do?"  That's kind of how he was.  Life first, people first.  With a dose of random whimsy.

Kelli & fam, my thoughts are with you.

I had the true pleasure of working with Jeff at the City of Chandler beginning in 1986 until my retirement in 2015.  Through the years I saw first hand how Jeff's planning expertise and collaboration  helped countless builders, developers and internal and external professionals helped grow Chandler into the exceptional and attractive community it is today.  Jeff's exceptional planning insights and his assistance to many in making a plan become reality are seen in large projects such as the Price Corridor and Chandler Mall and in the numerous attractive streets and subdivisions in Chandler.   Those accomplishments required long nights at Planning Sessions and City Council meetings and I will always have the memory of Jeff sitting on the far right in Council Chambers, ready to answer any questions.  

More significant than those accomplishments are Jeff's love of his family and his abiding friendship.  I feel so blessed that Jeff was a regular at our retiree coffees so I had the chance to see him after we retired.  He was always there, cool as ever, ready to laugh at a shared memory.  In my last text from Jeff he signed off "Peace and Love" .  What a gift.  So to Jeff's family and friends, I offer you peace and love today as we embark on this next part of our journey.   I miss you Jeff.  

Jeff was such a neat guy and fun to talk to.  I always enjoyed watching him talk at council and planning meetings in Chandler.  The way he would present the information, his body/hand movements, his phrasing and voice, those glasses, all were so uniquely Jeff.  I'm so very sorry for your loss.  He will always be remembered and will be greatly missed.

Jeff and I go way back to the early 80's. He had just graduated from ASU when I hired him to work for the City of Chandler Planning Department. I was a young planner myself and he and Peggy Fiandaca were my first hires. We worked on the Ocotillo project over a ten year span after I left the city and on many other projects over the years. Jeff was great to work with always looking for a way to make things happen. We  kept in touch and like many others shared meals at the San Marcos. We talked about his trips to Marfa Texas, and I still plan to visit, now in his memory.
My deepest sympathy to Kelli, his children and his family. Rest in Peace Jeff, until we meet again.


I knew Jeff for years while working at the City of Chandler.  Always
enjoyed his sense of humor and when we would chat before Council Meetings or Planning Meetings.  Got to know him better after we both retired and were co-founders of a small retirees coffee/breakfast group.  Jeff was a very interesting guy. I was always glad to see him and hear what Jeff was up to when we had our monthly coffee gatherings. I am shocked and sadden to hear of his passing.  I will miss him.

Having worked directly with Jeff over 19 years at City of Chandler, I have many funny memories and serious ones, we definitely had crazy busy times at the office to moments of sadness losing some colleagues to illness. Jeff was generally a private person until you got to know him. He cared a lot about his family and was elated to have a third child. Jeff had a spirit of wanting to share stories and experiences from a really good craft beer, to traveling, new eateries/bars, and his music interests. I remember Jeff’s office activities, thinking about them makes me laugh, playing music loud on his computer speakers, Irish goodbyes, wearing his Teva-like shoes, many smoke breaks, getting his coffee throughout the day, sweeping dust off his desk, his laughing, hanging up random statements or photos, and more. He shared his fondness of Schwan’s food delivery, artwork, and sports teams. I can hear him saying, “Yea, wasn’t that a good one?”, “I don’t know”, “Make it go away”, “Here, you’re it”. It was nice to catch up with him not too long ago and know that he was doing good, he was happy to share he no longer wore eyeglasses, which if you knew him, you knew his eyeglasses. I remember how big they used to be back in the day. I sure hope he passed peacefully and is upstairs enjoying beers. Prayers to Jeff’s family and children. May you rest in peace Jeff.

I met Jeff when we started working on Chandler Viridian (formerly Elevation Chandler by the Chandler mall).  We didn't get off to the best of starts as we had different visions.  I remember calling him to see if he would meet with me one-on-one to discuss the project.  Jeff said let's go play tourist at the San Marcos hotel restaurant and talk.  We spent an hour just getting to know each other and 10 mins on the project.  His fingerprints are all over that project and we became good friends.  He was so proud of the final outcome and I can say I was proud to know him.  Rest in peace my friend and God Bless your family...

Jeff was great to work with and even better to hang out with outside of work.  Despite me being a Wildcat fan, Jeff took me to a few ASU football games, including the big rivalry games.  These games were a lot of fun, and it was great to get the opportunity to hang out with Jeff and get to know him a little better on a personal level.  Thank you Jeff.  You will be missed!

Jeff was a kind and extraordinary man.  There are many in the community who will deeply mourn his passing as he led a life of service, love, and compassion.  May Jeff's family find comfort and healing at this difficult time.  Terri Kimble and the Chandler Chamber of Commerce

When I was brand new to the zoning practice, Jeff was very kind and generous to me.  That might seem insignificant, but to a young and inexperienced attorney 15 years ago, it was a gift.  That has always stuck with me when others wouldn't given me the time of day.  He will be missed.

Jeff and I became friends about 20 years ago in my role with the Chandler planning commission.  I learned in a funny way how much Jeff loved College basketball.  One weekend in early March I asked where Jeff was, and I was told he was out sick.  I came to find out he had March Madness flu.  So for all these years since when I saw Jeff in early March I would say you look like you might be coming down with something and you should go home and rest this weekend. (wink, wink) I will miss Jeff.  RIP my friend. 
Rick Heumann

Kelli Kurtz and family, I am truly sorry for your loss and pain. I worked with/for Jeff for over 20 years at the City of Chandler. He truly was one of a kind. I am glad I was able to see  and talk to Jeff twice in the last two months thanks to our mutual friend Sam  ( our orange and lemon provider 😁) .
May you rest in eternal peace Jeff 
Your friend and coworker
Terri Fitzhugh 

Jeff my ASU, go devils, friend.  It was very sad news to here what has happen.  You will be missed by all of us, as well as the Devil Nation.  Love you and will meet again one day

we went on a family trip to san diego and we went to this little restaurant across from the hotel and had the best breakfast burritos then we went back to the hotel and they gave me this little color in postcards so we sat in the lobby and colored one of them in together 

So many memories of Jeff I have no idea where to start.  Jeff wasn't only my work manager and mentor but my also my very good friend.  To the many ASU football games we attended together whether their season was 0-3 or 3-0,  to the concerts we attended, and yes, Lukas Nelson does sound like his father Willie and can play the guitar with his teeth, to watching Balloon Boy fly high over Jeff's scenic home state of Colorado during our lunch break, to his stories of meeting Jack Nicholson with his family at The Stanley Hotel, aka Overlook Hotel in The Shining, meeting Commander Cody in a dive bar during a Planning Convention, coming to the rescue when my family and I needed a jump start for a dead battery on July 4th evening and to the many many 4-5am cell phone texts on the weekends because he knew I was already awake.  You were a true friend and I appreciate the time that we spent together.  Sam 

Our family is touched by every thought and prayer. We are grateful for the friendships and relationships you shared with Jeff. 

Services for Jeff will be postponed until the gathering of large groups of people is safe. 

Please reach out to me through email at (kelbug23@Hotmail.com) or text (602.332.0967) to be informed of upcoming services. 


Jeff and I  were young planners ... he in Chandler and I in Gilbert....  in the early 80’s.  He was not only good at at what he did but more important he was a a good friend. He will be missed. 

OBITUARY

Jeffrey Alan Kurtz

September 23, 1959 – February 25, 2021

Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery

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