Jeffrey Lee VanPelt

He was born December 15, 1965 in Charlotte, the second child of late Max Lee and Thelma McKenzie Van Pelt. He was raised in Lowell, where he still resided. Jeff was a 1984 graduate of Ashbrook High School and a 1988 graduate of Western Carolina University where he earned a B.A. degree in Marketing and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He had a 27-year career in the airline industry at Charlotte Douglas International Airport with Piedmont Airlines and US Airways. Most recently, he was working as a heavy maintenance production planner with American Airlines.

Jeff is survived by his partner, Timothy Joe Grindstaff of Little Switzerland, NC; his sister, Pamela Van Pelt Rankin (Scott) of Gastonia; and brother, Joel Timothy Van Pelt (Meade) of Wilmington. He is also survived by his niece, Madeline McKenzie Rankin and nephew, Max Meade Van Pelt, both of Wilmington.

Jeff was known for his love of global travel, vintage and European sports cars, and gardening. He will be missed for his gentle but strong spirit and certainly for his sense of humor.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, September 11 at Carothers Funeral Home at Gaston Memorial Park. His funeral will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 12 at the funeral home with Pastor R. William Ellis officiating. Burial alongside his parents will follow at Edgewood Cemetery in Lowell.

Memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge and/or Lower Cape Fear Hospice & LifeCareCenter, both of which provided care during Jeff’s cancer treatment and passing.

The family would like to thank Dr. Sandra B. Schultz and staff, Dr. Jerome M. Butler and staff at Caromont Health, and Dr. Yousuf S. Zafar and his staff at Duke Cancer Center for the exceptional level of care and compassion they provided Jeff and his family.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com

Carothers Funeral Home at Gaston Memorial Park is honored to serve the VanPelt family.