Jeffery Carney

Jeffery Carney. . , Jeffery Carney was "man of many hats" and a joyful presence all throughout Upland in the various ways he loved and served his community., Jeff was born in 1950 and raised in Upland, and in the eyes of many, he wore the unofficial hat of "Mr. Upland." A 1968 graduate of Eastbrook High School and a resident of the town most of his adult life, if there was a special event or community gathering in Upland, you could count on Jeff being present. Jeff loved Upland and its people He served with the Upland Volunteer Fire Department from 1978-1988. He was also a member of the Upland Lions Club, he sold concessions at the ballfield, he was a member of the Masons, and he served at Pierce Church If he wasn't helping others in one way or another, he could always be spotted cruising town, mowing the yard, or filling his bird feeders., Jeff proudly wore the hat of service to his country. After serving for four years in the U.S. Air Force and 18 years as a reservist at Grissom Air Force Base, he was hired from among 500 applicants to work as a Quality Assurance Inspector for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jeff's position was created in response to the Challenger explosion, and his sole job was to inspect the O-ring seals, the component that had failed and caused tragedy aboard the space shuttle just a few years earlier. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to argue that for four years, the future of spaceflight in America was under the watchful eye of Jeff Carney. After a massive aneurysm Jeff and his wife returned to Indiana, but he always dreamed of what it would be like to one day fly to space., Jeff married Cindi (Johnson) in 1978, and he wore the hat of a family man over the 43 years they were married, loving and serving his family faithfully, Jeff was always more than willing to help and serve others, and Cindi kept him on schedule at the right places and the right times. Jeff also had tremendous love for his daughters and grandchildren, and one of his favorite activities was to take his granddaughters to the park after school., Most of all, Jeff wore the hat of a humble servant and man of faith. His kindness, smile, optimism, and servants heart were the results of God's love and blessing in his life. Jeff was one whose presence you could count on, and he was always there to offer a helping hand. Jeff Carney wasn't rich in outward appearance and may have seemed rather ordinary, but he was blessed in the ways that mattered and lived a truly extraordinary life., Jeff passed away in November 2021. He is loved and missed by his wife, Cindi, and his daughters, Rachelle and Tiffiney.