In 1979, Jeff accompanied his first wife, Wendy, to a fundraising review at his daughters' local Catholic Primary School

Much to his surprise, he actually enjoyed the experience and a passion for live performances was ignited.

After being encouraged by one of the review performers, Jeff successfully auditioned for a part in the Heidelberg Repertory Group's production of ‘Walk On, Walk On'.

Over the next few years Jeff appeared in productions with the Diamond Valley Repertory (later know as the Diamond Valley Theatre) and the Eltham Little Theatre; ‘Intent to Murder', Music Hall Shows, ‘The Patrick Pearse Motel', ‘An Inspector Calls', ‘Middle Age Spread', ‘Raggedy Anne', and ‘The Club'.

Those who knew Jeff, remember his love of David Williamson plays, and in particular, ‘The Club'. Being a passionate Collingwood supporter, this play combined two of his interests, football and performing. Jeff produced and directed "the Club' for the Diamond Valley Theatre in September 1985. He also single handedly built the set and played the role of the coach. He was always hopeful that one of the Bendigo theatre companies would stage ‘The Club' and that he might be lucky enough to play the role of Jock, the Club President.

In 1993 Jeff and his second wife Carmel moved to Bendigo for a ‘tree change'. Excited by the high caliber of amateur and professional theatre available in Bendigo and keen to meet people with similar interests, they subscribed to the Capital Theatre's Season. It was always their plan to join an amateur theatre group together once their youngest was old enough to be left at home.

In 2003 Jeff and Carmel successfully auditioned for the Bendigo Community Theatre's production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar'. Jeff played one of the three Priests along with Vince Ryan and Adam Crowe.

Since then Jeff has appeared in many Community Theatre productions: the Earl of Sussex in ‘Princess Ascending'; Lt. Brannigan and Big Julie in "Guys and Dolls'; a Buddhist Monk in ‘The King and I'; a member of the ensemble in ‘The Mikado'; Mr. E.J. Whitney in ‘Anything Goes'; the lead role of Rene in ‘Allo Allo'; Dr. Scott in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show'; Old Salieri in ‘Amadeus'; a member of the Soul Choir in ‘Kaberet' and ‘Katholic Kaberet'.

Jeff and Carmel were delighted when their son Rod, daughter Jessie and son-in-law Ash joined Community Theatre and performed alongside them in ‘Guys & Dolls', ‘The Mikado', ‘The King and I', ‘Anything Goes', ‘Allo, Allo', ‘Kaberet' and ‘Katholic Kaberet'.

Jeff was a mimic with an excellent ear for accents. He loved to tell a story and had a joke for every occasion. He could make an audience laugh with his comic delivery and move them with his emotional performances. Dancing was a challenge and occasionally he needed to be reminded to "sing up an octave" but it was all part of the theatrical world that he had been introduced to many years earlier and had grown to love.

On Saturday the 31^st March 2007, Jeff delivered a monologue and sang ‘Danny Boy' in his role as Father McKenzie in ‘Katholic Kaberet'. The following weekend he was admitted to hospital and his courageous battle with leukemia began. On Monday the 13^th August 2007 Jeff died at home surrounded by Carmel, his four children and their partners.

CHOOKAS JEFF!