Martin Jeffrey Wyffels III "Jeff"

Our beloved Jeff Wyffels ascended into Heaven on May 20, 2024. He was born on October 13, 1949 and grew up in Canandaigua, New York. He later lived at Newport News, Virginia, Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and lastly at Remlap, Alabama.

If you knew Jeff, you knew he could never sit still. He was a doer, a problem solver, an innovator, a perfectionist, and an artist. He was very clever in his work as well as in conversation. You never could predict what he was about to say. He worked hard and steady in his business and he worked hard helping his neighbors. He had a never-ending punch list and never seemed to stop and rest. He proclaimed he would rest when he got to Heaven. If it is true that the Lord assigns you a job when you get to Heaven, then Jeff might be up there working for Jesus on the many mansions in Heaven. As Jesus said according to the KJV, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” Jeff and his Dad may be up there working side by side.

Jeff worked on his family farm when he was quite young, such that most people believe Jeff was probably born on a tractor! His Dad, who was Jeff’s best lifetime friend, changed careers from farming to construction. So at the ripe age of twelve years old, Jeff started working with his Dad in construction. Through his apprenticeship with his father and his father’s friends, he became a master craftsman and a general contractor for both commercial and residential where he supervised and personally handled all things pertaining to construction. His work was beautiful and flawless. His construction work was interrupted for his time in the military. Jeff was in the Marines from 1967 to 1971. He was a truck mechanic in the Marines and was stationed at Camp Lejeune’s Moffett Point, North Carolina, Okinawa, and Hawaii.

Jeff had a love for fly fishing. He loved the mountain streams in Virginia. He could trek anywhere in the woods including up and down steep banks to get to his favorite fishing holes for his treasure of native rainbow, brown, or brook trout. It was always a catch and release sport for Jeff and he never ate a trout, even in restaurants. He had a reverence for fly fishing and it made him feel like he was in God’s country. He has a favorite fishing hole in Virginia where he wants his ashes scattered, a place where he feels like he is in Heaven.

Jeff worked at Cross Metals Recycling, LLC from April 2021 through April 2023. Some say he worked so hard there, he must have thought he owned the place. He enjoyed the work and the camaraderie with the owners, staff, and crew of Cross Recycling. He loved them like family.

Jeff married the love of his life Joan Davis in 2016 and he told her he loved her so much that no one could love her more. Joan’s family, especially her Mother Yoshi, loved and adored Jeff. He was the love of Joan’s life and she will forever be grateful to the Good Lord for the time that they had together. Jeff was not an every Sunday churchgoer, but he would always say that God was with him everyday. There were many Sunday mornings where Jeff cooked Joan’s breakfast and they watched an episode of SuperBook together for morning worship. Jeff also loved to listen to WDJC’s contemporary Christian music while he worked in his woodworking shop. He told Joan to pray for him every time she went to church and Jeff prayed himself many times to his Savior. Jeff thought that the best way to teach people about the Good Lord was to live like the Good Lord would want you to live and to do your best for people.

Jeff and his brother were born less than a year apart. Jeff was very close to and had great love for his brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Patty, as well as for their children and their families. Jeff was Papa Jeff to all of Dan and Patty’s children and grandchildren who adored him as much as Jeff adored them. He was always excited to visit them and see everyone. Jeff will be greatly missed by Dan and Patty and all their family.

Jeff was very close to Joyce Ann Jackson who adopted Jeff as her brother. He had a mutual feeling for her and treated her like a dear sister. Jeff also had fond feelings for a couple of boys who called him Uncle Jeff. The boys, Michael and Christian, were very dear to him as well as their parents, Rafael and Angela Cabello.

Jeff grew up with Butch, his cousin and best friend. They could create mayhem wherever they went in their neighborhood. In Jeff’s adult life in Alabama, he would always leave the name Butch to the cashier when ordering at a fast food restaurant. Butch passed away recently and Jeff was very saddened about losing his childhood friend and cousin. But now they are together.

Jeff had many close friends such as Jimmy Reed and Joe Garner and too many more to mention. He loved them all and would do anything for them. He was truly grateful for their kindness, generosity, and support; and they made a huge difference in his life. He felt that he was blessed immensely by God to have such treasured friends.

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, Martin J. Wyffels, Jr. and Marjorie Lush Wyffels, and his sister, Debbie Wyffels. He is survived by his wife, Joan Davis Wyffels, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Eve and Glenn Slater and many nephews and nieces in Joan’s and Eve’s families. Jeff is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Patty Wyffels, and their children: Jodie Vieira (husband Adriano, children Melbee, Ensi, and Pavine), Thomas Wyffels (girlfriend Melissa and her daughter Rebecca), and Lisa Patel (husband Neal, sister-in-law Sonal, children Naya, Niam, and Nivi). Jeff is also survived by his sister Sandy Vistocco and her children: Michael Harris, Michele Salva, and Mark Harris (daughter Tatum).

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. at Palisades Park, Amilea Porter Center, 1225 Palisades Parkway, Oneonta, AL 35121. All family, friends and associates of Jeff and Joan are invited. Please RSVP texts to Charmaine Brown – 205-914-2472. Please feel free to participate at the event with a story about Jeff. In remembrance of Jeff, please consider a charitable donation to the Remlap Fire & EMS, P.O. Box 269, Remlap, AL 35133. Lastly, we sincerely appreciate the guidance and compassion from Kilgroe Funeral Home in Leeds.