Jeffrey Alan Stefanik
Born February 1st, 1958 to George Edward Stefanik and Lillian Dodds Stefanik in Livingston, Montana.
Jeff grew up in Livingston the youngest of four children. He played for the 1975 Park High Rangers, State A champion football team, as an offense lineman and middle linebacker. And won honors as 1st and 2nd team all-state. Including football and track, Jeff rodeoed in the bull riding and bareback events. He earned a football scholarship at Eastern College in Billings and received a teacher’s degree. He taught school in Roundup for a year before working for Burlington Northern Railroad in Sheridan, Wyoming.
In 1981 he began working for Frito Lay in Hardin and transferred to Helena in 1984. He worked for Frito Lay for 38 years retiring in 2019.
In 1982, he married the love of his life, Vickie Carr in Livingston. They had their first son Justin Wheeler in Hardin in 1983 and their second son Levi Edward in 1986 in Helena.
Jeff’s lifelong dream was to own a small ranch, and he made that dream come true in 1989 when they purchased land in the Helena Valley. The place the family remains today. He worked countless hours with a full-time job at Frito Lay and on the home place, making a good life for his family. Jeff and Vickie worked alongside each other every day and made a good team.
His greatest joy was spending time with his kids and grandkids. His love for fishing and hunting were passed down to his children and he always looked forward to the annual hunting trip with his boys to the Missouri Breaks. Which was the longest time he would spend away from home and Vickie the entire year. He never cared if he harvested a deer, just spending time with his boys hunting was always the goal.
Jeff is survived by his wife Vickie, two sons Justin (Kari) and Levi (Brenna) and four grandkids Chase, Blair, Slyder and Maisa, brothers Ron (Debbie) and Jack, sisters-in-law, Becky (Bill) Landis, Debbie (Bob) Boyd, Joyce (Tim) Anderson and Brother-in-Law Stan (Kelly) Carr and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents George Stefanik and Lillian Lookhart and Sister Pam Indendi.
Jeff won his battle with cancer twice before a ranching accident took him from us.
A memorial service is planned at 2 p.m. on April 1st, 2023 at the Diamond U Barn located at 2682 Smith Road, Helena, Mt 59602. Food and drinks will be served after the memorial.
If desired, memorials may be donated to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the Shiners Hospital in his name. Jeff donated routinely to these two hospitals. Their son Justin received medical care from the Shiners in 1984.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
2:00 p.m.
Saturday April 1, 2023
Diamond U Barn
2686 Smith Road
Helena, Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
2:00 p.m.
Saturday April 1, 2023
Diamond U Barn
2686 Smith Road
Helena, Montana 59602
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Steve Sampson says
Vickie and family. So sorry for your loss. Jeff was a wonderful man. Always enjoyed seeing him.
Lorrie Vennes says
Dear Vickie and family,
Our sincere sympathy! Jeff was a wonderful man, still remember visiting with him at the grocery stores.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.
God’s Peace,
Lorrie and Gail Vennes
joyce clausen says
i AM SENDING HUGS, PRAYERS AND SYMPATHY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
JOYCE MILLER CLAUSEN
cheryl robinson says
I am so sorry Vickie for your loss. just know that you have family and friends who love you, and wrap their arms around you during this time. cheryl robinson
Jeff Mount says
May God wrap his loving arms around Vickie and family. Until we meet again
Kris Briggs Wedel says
Oh my gosh Vickie- I am so sorry for your loss. I’m praying for you and your family at this time.
Ginny Walters says
I am so very sorry for your loss Vickie. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Chris Becker says
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Jeff. Your family is in my thoughts, and prayers. I will always be grateful for the use of the ranch, for all bird hunting we got to do growing up. Also for all those delicious chips that Jeff always hooked us up with. Levi, Justin, and Vickie, Jeff will be remembered for the generous man he always was!
Dick & Sandy O’Neil says
Vicki, I am so very sorry for your loss of Jeff.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and all of your family.
God Bless you all.
Love you. 💖💖🙏🙏
Ralph and Carol White says
Vickie and Family
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you during this time of your terrible loss of Jeff. Lyle let me know if his passing after he heard. Jeff was a super great guy. Will remember always his taking time to stop and say hi when he was stalking shelves at Walmart in Helena and I was working. We will always hold you dear in our hearts. May comfort from family and friends help you at this time. We deeply regret hearing of your loss. Prayers for you, your sons and families and your extended family. Thoughts, love and prayers for you all.
Ralph and Carol White
Linda McClure says
Vickie, I am so sorry for your great loss. May the Lord comfort you and your family.
Bryan Louden says
Vickie and family….There is not a more generous and thoughtful man amongst us. He was always someone I looked up to as he always set the perfect example of how things should be done. This world lost an angel but heaven gained perfect one.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
John and Lois Beck says
Vickie, Very sorry to hear about Jeff. While I didn’t know him well, I remember him being very friendly. We enjoyed delivering firewood to you both. We are sending our condolences and want you to know you are in our thoughts. John, Lois, Casey, and Sonny.
Bob Pemberton says
Condolences on your loss. I have great memories of the freshman football team that Jeff was on. Was a great middle linebacker on the frosh team. It was satisfying to watch this team as seniors to win it all. I remember against the Helena Capital frosh team playing on their field. We stunted a few times so Jeff was in the thick of things. So they started running sweeps to either side to get away from him. He was a tired young man after the game. He and his teammates showed no quit in their games and it carried through so Schoonover could continue what Schlabs had started. Rest in Peace Young Fella. Memories live on. Hugs to Vickie and family.
Sally Russell says
Ron and family – so sad to read about Jeff. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Carol Bailey says
I am sending my deepest condolences to the family for this very sad loss.
Kay Ann Denham says
Sorry for the families loss. The Dehams grew up with the Stefaniks. Love the whole family. God be with all of you in the days ahead. Peace and Love to all of you
Myrtle Woosley says
So very sorry for your loss. Our prayers to your family.
Kerwin LeSueur says
Ron and Debbie so sorry for the loss of your brother he was a good man always a smile in the stores seeing him RIP
Rick and Marleen Anderson says
Vickie, our hearts go out to you and your family on this terrific loss. We love you.
Kelley and Mary Patzer says
So sorry to hear of Jeff’s passing. He was a gentle giant in so many ways. Our prayers for Vickie and the boys for great memories to help heal such a loss. May the Lord wrap his Love around all of you. Heaven gained a angel.
Denise and Russ Wolf says
Vicki and family, Russ and I are so very sorry for your loss. Jeff was one of the first people Russ met in Helena and always enjoyed working with him at Frito Lay and continued connection as insurance agents. Prayers for peace and healing for you all!
Vicki Tillo says
Vickie and family, I am so sorry for your loss. Praying for the love of friends and family, strength to face each day, and warm memories to hold on to.
Pat Armstrong says
My heart is broken for you all. My prayers are with you all. Please know I will do anything you need fond. Love Pat and John Armstrong🙏🥲
Jack Hubbard says
Ron, i am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and Debbie. Thoughts and prayers from the Hubbards.
Cindy Glenn says
Vickie, We are thinking of you and the boys..
Love & Faith,
Nancy Barber, Cindy Glenn & Lisa Sanders
Jill M Yost says
Vickie
I was so sorry to hear of Jeff’s passing. Jay loved Jeff so much and we all had a soft spot for him in our family. I know Jay was there to welcome him in eternal peace.
Tiffany Iverson says
Dear Vicki and family, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Hal, Tiffany and family
Mike McCurry says
Jeff was always one of my favorite vendors! He was always efficient and got along great with all of the employees, other vendors and very good with even customers. I will never forget him and his smile and easy going personality! RIP Jeff!🙏🏻
David Iken says
I worked with Jeff for a short time. He will be missed for sure I always had a great experience talking with him. I pray to his family God’s grace and peace!
Terri and Bernie Rustad says
Dear Vicki and family, We were so sorry to hear of Jeff’s passing. Our memories of Jeff are from years ago when he worked as our “hired kid” for the summer on our ranch. He was always hard working and had a smile no matter what chores he was doing. He worked especially hard that summer to “stay in shape for football”. We were proud of him and his team when they won the state championship. He lives in our hearts, as he was very special and loved by us.
Brian Moss says
I’m so shocked at the news of Jeff’s passing my condolences and prayers go out to his family l enjoyed working with him at Frito-Lay although for a short time he left a very strong impression on me
Gary and Lynn Pettigrew says
All our sympathy and prayers go out to Jeff’s family and friends. My wife and I knew Jeff thru Frito Lay. We remember especially the summer campouts and many district meetings. He was a great guy and will surely be missed.
Dan Kirkpatrick says
I most remember Jeff as a quiet, humble man. He was a tough competitor on the football field and a teammate who always had your back. I loved playing with him because he made me better. We had many good times off the field as well. Jeff, you are missed by many. You will not be forgotten.
Ellis and Rhonda Boyd says
What a special person and family. Our deepest sympathy for your family.
Bruce & Deb Lindberg says
Jeff was an usher at our wedding – 1980. He was my roommate and a great friend. We went our seperate ways, but I thought of him often. We ended up in Wisconsin and Minnesota – a long way from being “Home”.
What a good man!
Vicki, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!
Robert Spannring says
So sorry for your loss, went to high school with Jeff, always remember his calm nature and the way he talked. Never got a chance to see after those days but always figured his soul would build a wonderful family. Peace and Prayers
Robert
Alan Erickson says
So sorry Vicki and family from the Erickson family
Roy & Sandi Carr says
Dear Vicki, so sorry for your loss, our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.
Jack Norris says
Jeff was a awesome man loved working beside him when building Pepsi and frito displays he was always on top of his game. Gonna miss you buddy till we meet again.
Anita W Kurtz says
Dear Vicki and Family, I am so sorry for the loss of your husband. My heart aches for you and you are in my prayers. With deepest sympathy from Anita Kurtz
Bill and Marcia Gray says
Dear Vicki, Justin, Levi, and families,
May happy and loving memories carry you through these tough times.
Wishing you and your family strength and peace.
Kathy Storey says
So deeply sorry for your loss Vicki, he was a great man . I will never forget the times growing up with him and being in the 4th of July parade with him as his indian captive lol. Bless you and your family in this time of sorrow
Mark Mangini says
There are so many things I would like to say but the first words that come to mind are the words I should have probably said a lot more often. Thank you Jeff for always being a friend. For always taking the high road. Thank you for your sage advice and for always being willing to help those in need. Thank you for being the best holiday work partner a guy could ever ask for. But most of all Jeff, thank you for the impacting all of us through your humble example of what we should all strive to be. Vickie, Justin, Levi there are no words. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. Our deepest condolences. We wish you peace and comfort in this time of tragic loss.
RD, Carol, and Shawn Smith says
This is a fragile time…. a time to be gentle with yourself and to give your heart permission to grieve, to feel , to remember. Thinking of you.
We are thinking of you.
We wanted to come to the memorial service but had prior commitments.
Vicki Hampson says
Vickie, Justin, Levi & Families,
So very sorry for the loss of your Husband & Father. Please know you are all in my Prayers. My heart is breaking for all of you.
Vicki Hampson
Wayne Harper says
Today’s farewell to my dear friend Jeff was awesome. Really outlined the spectacular person he was. He was an outstanding teammate and friend. Words cannot adequately state what he meant to his friends. His subtle homer was great, my wife and I often talked about how a bunch of strangers at our wedding came to love the groomsman who dropped a toast to Warp. Miss ya brother. Rest easy.
Ted Polette says
I am so sorry to hear about Jeff’s passing and will miss our sporadic meetings in the stores. My prayers go out to all of his family and friends. I attended Eastern Montana College also and met Jeff in our education classes, as I too became a teacher. I watched him play football during Eastern’s last season in 1977 before they made the terrible decision to drop football. Jeff always had that big smile on his face and was genuinely happy to see you and took the time to visit. I moved to Helena in 1987 and reunited with Jeff in one of the stores and caught up on everything for the past 8 years. We continued to run into each other every now and then and I will miss those friendly encounters. He was a kind-hearted man, which this world needs more of, and he will be dearly missed!
Chuck Price says
It took me a long time to bring myself to say something on here. Jeff was a co worker of mine for 20 plus years. I owe everything I have ever gotten from my profession to this man. Over the years I got to know not only Jeff but his family. I got to see his boys grow into young men. Witnessed Jeff’s many talents outside of work like building houses. And whenever I was there I felt welcomed almost like I was a part of his family.
He was more than just a coworker to me. He was a friend, a confidant. Somome who counseled me thru many situations.
I respected him more than he will ever know. Od up to him as a leader.at work, as a dad, a husband and just a a good human being.
Jeff, your impact on my life will NEVER be forgotten. You will be missed dearly.
All my love and support goes out to your family during this time.
Until we meet again Jeff.
Darlene Hudson says
I think of you so often, Vickie. This must be such a very difficult time for you, your boys, and entire family. Please know you are in my prayers. I am so very sorry, that you, too, have become a member of this most unwanted “sisterhood”, we call “widow”❣️ Be strong, feel our love and take care of you, dear one❣️