Jeff L Saylor, died Thursday, November 16, 2023, following a five-year battle with brain cancer.  He was born In Logansport, Indiana on October 27, 1948 to parents James “Howard” Saylor and Adah “Lucile” Gordon.  He was proud to have recently celebrated his 75th birthday.

     Jeff graduated from Twin Lakes High School in 1966, and attended college at DePauw University, graduating with an art degree in 1970.  A highlight of his time there was one year spent as an exchange student at the University of Copenhagen, studying art history and Scandinavian design.

     His first job after graduating from DePauw was working in the design and display department of L.S. Ayres in downtown Indianapolis.  Later he would move to Chicago, working for the International Design Company, a firm that designed all of the animated window displays down the Magnificent Mile, and even doing some work for Disney.  In 1974, he returned to Burnettsville to work in the family business, the JH Saylor Company.

     In 1979, he married Jan McKinney.  They met initially at the Hively Pharmacy, and five years later married at the First Methodist Church in Monticello.  Together they celebrated the lives of their two sons, Nick and Jake Saylor.  Jeff and Jan were together for eighteen years; they later divorced but developed a close friendship that would last for life.  

     What most people would notice first about Jeff Saylor is a smile that could light up an entire room and a laugh that could brighten any day.  He was driven to succeed at everything he attempted.  While working at the warehouse was not the artistic dream life he had envisioned, he would immerse himself in creative projects for friends and an almost constant revision of whatever house he was living in.  Many of the local businesses owe their financial success at least in part to Jeff’s constant need for building supplies and/or contractors.

     Jeff had several passions, including community service, running, and history.  He served on the Burnettsville Community Board, the White County Board of Zoning Appeals, the Twin Lakes School Board, the White County Community Foundation, and the White County Historical Society.  In April of 2019, Jeff received a Distinguished Hoosier Award, presented by Representative Don Lehe.  

     The Cass County YMCA became a second home for Jeff.  He first started taking exercise classes and then later became an instructor, spending two terms on the Board of the Cass County facility.  Most of his students described him as “A harsh task master,” expecting the highest level of results, while making them laugh and have a good time.  The core group of his students and “Y-family” remained fiercely supportive of Jeff during his cancer battles and made frequent visits to him and including him whenever possible.

     Jeff was an avid runner, often getting up at 2am, to put in a morning run before going to work.  He completed several marathons and over 150 mini-marathons with his friend, Don Hurd.  During their time running together, they noticed that most organized running events were charitable fund-raisers.  Together they worked to create and organize the “Bee-Bumble Race,” an annual event that continued on for around 20 years.  They wanted their event to give back to the participants.  The event was celebrated for its flat course, excellent ‘goodie bags,’ and great food.  People came from miles around to attend the event year after year.  Even the citizens of Burnettsville hopped on board and either volunteered or were drafted to work.  It was a time of hard work, but great reward.  As many as 80-100 volunteers would step up each year to make sure that each event was better than the year before.  Every year, an exhausted Jeff would proclaim, “This was the last Bee-Bumble!”, then start working on next year’s event the following day.  

     Jeff loved history and always enjoyed researching and learning about the past.  His fascination with Theodore Roosevelt and subsequent collection of Roosevelt memorabilia culminated in a trip to Sagamore Hill in New York with his family in 2019.

     His love of local history and especially of Burnettsville in particular, made him a frequent-flyer at the Union Township Library, where he scoured all the microfilm gallery of local newspapers hunting for tid-bits about Burnettsville.  He kept them in a file and over the course of nearly two decades, he compiled a book filled with interesting facts and stories to communicate the flavor of what it was like to live in the Burnettsville of the past.  In 2022, Volume I of “On the Banks of Burnetts Creek” was published and released.  Volumes II and III are currently in editing and will be released soon.  They are currently available at the Monticello Historical Society.  

     Jeff was preceded in death by his parents.  He is survived by his brother Jim (Lynn) Saylor [Burnettsville], his former wife and friend Jan (Mike) Blackburn [Burnettsville], sons Nick (Jackie) Saylor of [Durham, NC], and Jake (fiancé Jessica Ingram) Saylor [Fishers, IN].  He is also survived by nieces Jaime (Joel) Zumbolo and their sons Aiden and Owen [Greenfield, IN], Jessica (James Gardiner) [Indianapolis], Amanda Saylor [Lafayette, IN], and nephew Nathaniel (Ashley) Saylor and sons Henry, Charlie and Milo [Travers City, MI].

     Funeral calling will be Tuesday, November 21, 2023 from 2pm-6pm at Miller-Roscka Funeral Home in Monticello; celebration of life will follow at 6:00pm with pastors Jerry Long and Ken Smith officiating.  Private burial will occur on Wednesday at Davis Cemetery in Burnettsville.  

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cass County YMCA or any animal shelter.