We are here today to celebrate the gift, that in so many different ways, all of us shared - the life of my son Kyle. Toni and I have, and will continue to deeply mourn the loss of our son, but we want today to be a celebration of his special life.

We choose not to dwell on what we don't have, but rather to be thankful for everything that Kyle brought to our lives while he was among us. Kyle, the child, youth, and man, was a wonderful gift for which we'll be eternally grateful.

Over the past week, Kyle's talents have been exposed in ways that continue to amaze us. He always was one of those bright young kids who seemed able to excel in pretty much anything he tried. But he could also be pretty goofy. I wonder how many of you have jammed your head in the freezer door while looking to see if the light really does goes out when you close it? Kyle did. I can remember him coming into the room with a big grin, rubbing his head, then giggling as he shared what had happened.

Even younger, like many of you, we once began a house search for missing bathroom nail clippers. After scouring around unsuccessfully, Toni and I asked Meredith and Kyle if they knew the clippers' whereabouts. Kyle - about 3 - told us he had them in his sock. We laughed, continued searching while he followed us around continuing to insist that he had them in his sock. Later that evening, it was bath time and sure enough, at the end of one of his socks, there were the nail clippers. But what was really surprising was that all afternoon those feet had been inside his tennis shoes!

While all of us have talents in some areas, Kyle's interests and abilities spanned so many dimensions. By the time he was in high school he excelled in his classes and in athletics, was a musician and an artist - a true Renaissance man. One moment he'd be quoting poetry or preparing his favorite ginger snap cookies for the Labor Day Fair, the next, stalking opposing football players and hitting them with some of the most fearsome tackles I've witnessed.

Perhaps most of all he loved the outdoors. As a family we regularly hiked, camped, swam, rode bicycles - and Kyle grew to love the hills and streams, the sun, rain, snow, and wind. A couple of years ago, Kyle and I set off to climb Mt. Stuart (9,415 feet to their right?), only to discover after reaching the top of Longs' Pass that we'd left much of our water in the truck. With only 2 quarts between us, 9 more hours of grueling climbing ahead, and the fact that I was carrying the heaviest pack, I suggested it would be okay to retreat and return another day. Kyle's response was uncompromising: '"You don't stop 'til you reach the top," he replied and he surged upward.

This spring, about four weeks after the end of the ski season, Liz dropped Kyle and me off at the end of Coleman Canyon and we set out with snowshoes and snowboards to climb up to Mission Ridge. The day started fine and we could see our destination, but soon the clouds set in, snow started falling and it began to blow. Kyle was ahead but in fading visibility I was guiding us on a compass bearing. Somewhere on an unknown ridge in the middle of nowhere, we came across tracks. They were from snowshoes and appeared to be coming from the direction of the Ridge. Surprised to find others out in this bleak landscape, the tracks confirmed our course and we followed them through the trees assuming these unseen adventurers had probably set off from our destination. Now, you need to remember that between us, Kyle and I had years of hiking experience, several advanced academic degrees, and among the general population would probably rank quite high on the intelligence scale. Not for a minute though, when we met these unexpected tracks did either of us question if they might not be our own! They were. We were following our own tracks and were headed in the exact opposite direction to our intended course. We laughed, for a fleeting moment debated keeping our stupidity a secret between the two of us, then agreed it was just too funny not to share with others.

Now, I'm so thankful that we took that last hike together. It's a wonderful memory I will always treasure. And today, I'd like to encourage those of you who knew Kyle to also continue remembering him for the joy he brought to your lives and know that his free and generous spirit will always be with us.

Introduction to Music "Born in the USA"

Neither the lyrics nor the artist on the music you're about to hear have any significance. To appreciate it's inclusion you need to visualize two kids ages 9 and 11 bouncing on a couch, strumming tennis racquets, mumbling incoherent verses, until the arrival of the chorus when they could shout out the easy-to-remember refrain. As 3rd and 5th graders Kyle and his sister frequently entertained us by performing complete variety acts, including commercials, interviews, and guest musical artists. So here it is, the roots of Kyle's musical talent.

Conclusion to Celebration of Life

On behalf of Kyle's family I'd once again like to thank you all for the wonderful support you've shown us this past week. So many people have helped us that rather than risk omissions, I won't try to name you but trust you know that we will forever be grateful. We do have a wonderful slide presentation celebrating Kyle's life set to music in the Legion Hall together with dinner. Please join us if you can. And finally, when you go home, kids hug your parents, and parents hug your kids. Tell them how much you love them. Thanks for being here with us.

Steve Jefferies

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