Jeffrey Joseph Monaghan

Born in Charles City, Iowa, to “Red” Grafton and Marian (Schlader) Monaghan, Jeff was involved at an early age in the family turkey farming business. As part of a large Catholic family involved in farming, his parents would often wake them up for 5 a.m. Mass.

Jeff taught himself taxidermy through mail-in lessons at home in his father’s well-equipped basement, starting with pigeons and eventually mastering his favorite bird, the pheasant. His skill grew quickly, and neighbors and friends sometimes bought his work, earning him local newspaper recognition that helped publicize his craft as a small business.

Jeff was also an excellent public speaker from a young age. At Sunday Mass, when volunteers were needed to read scripture in front of the congregation, Jeff was often chosen — and he always aced it. While others were too nervous, Jeff’s confidence shone through, a quality that likely paved the way for his successful career in sales.

Jeff moved with his family from town to the turkey farm residence in the late 1960s, where he lived until the family relocated to Springfield, Missouri, in 1970. He finished his senior year at Glendale High School and went on to earn a Business degree from Missouri State University. After graduating, Jeff was married for 31 years and had a daughter, Shannon, whom he deeply loved and supported throughout his life.

Jeff began his career at MAP Advertising in Springfield before making a pioneering move to Tulsa, Oklahoma — the first in his family to settle there. His condo became a welcoming stop for several brothers who followed, offering them a place to stay until they found jobs and homes of their own. Jeff always wanted to provide others a home and help them, a character trait that reflected his deep kindness. He also opened his home to a mother and her two young children who needed support to get back on their feet, as well as other people down on their luck needing a fresh start.

In his younger years, Jeff was the life of the party — entertaining friends and family with magic tricks and his moonwalk skills. He dabbled in electric guitar during that time as well.

Jeff built a successful sales career with Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages, later AT&T, earning multiple awards before retiring early in 2008. Retirement gave him 17 full years to enjoy his passions: fishing, hunting, and traveling with his best friend, Terry Shreve. The two shared many fishing and deer hunting trips and traveled the world together with their families, visiting St. Augustine, Florida; Fort Lauderdale; Mexico; Germany; Switzerland; and Italy.

One of Jeff’s favorite pastimes was striper fishing at his “Honey Hole” on the Arkansas River near Gore, Oklahoma. With his BassTracker boat, he loved taking family and friends out, always making sure they had a memorable trip. To Jeff, this was living in paradise, and he loved every minute of it.

Jeff was also remembered for working at the Roasted Corn booth during Main Street Days, where he loved volunteering and recruiting friends to join in on the fun, adding to the festival’s lively atmosphere.

Jeff loved the simple pleasures — morning coffee on the back porch listening to birds, baked Spam and cheese on burger buns from his childhood, his mom’s goulash recipe with yeast rolls, and his legendary spicy Chex Mix with Bugles. He loved Hootie & the Blowfish and Fleetwood Mac, sometimes having dance parties in the living room with his daughter Shannon, blaring the music and singing along together — moments she will cherish forever. He often enjoyed these times with a Crown & Coke in hand and the unmistakable scent of his Halston Z-14 cologne.

A devoted handyman, Jeff volunteered with Grace (Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange), helping homeless mothers and children live in free shelter while working toward stability. He was always willing to help friends and never charged them — preferring instead to share time together, often accompanied by a good home-cooked meal prepared by his close friend Cece.

Survivors include his daughter Shannon Monaghan, her husband Felix Schupp, and their children Annabelle and Ayden; siblings Greg (Sue), Richard (Cecilia), Kevin, Brian (Lisa), Kelly (Chris), Monica, and David; and numerous other beloved friends and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marian and “Red” Grafton Monaghan, and his nephew Zach Monaghan.

Jeff’s life was marked by warmth, generosity, and a laid-back spirit. He loved being social, could strike up a conversation with anyone, and lived life on his own terms.

He passed away during the Sturgeon Full Moon — a time often associated with abundance, reflection, and the fullness of life — a quiet, fitting tribute to a man who embraced life simply and fully.