1956—2018 Jeff Glathe passed away peacefully with his wife and daughters by his side after a courageous battle with Glioblastoma (brain cancer). Jeff will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him, including his wife of 36 years, Tammy and his daughters, Nicole and Michelle, his father, John Glathe, stepmother Carol Seeds, sisters Susie (Curtis) Christenson, Caroline (Jim) Small and his four step sisters, Cheryl, Barbara, Julia and Cathy, his in-laws Tom and Carole Patton, sister-in-law Melody (Roque) Arevalo, brothers-in-law Tom (Leslie) Patton and Scott (Terry) Patton. Many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews as well as cousins and a large community of friends will miss his ready smile and zest for life.
Jeff’s mother, Jean Karlin Johnson Glathe, predeceased him. Jeff was born on September 17, 1956 in Rochester, Minnesota to John and Karlin Glathe. The family moved to the Bay Area when Jeff was three; he spent his youth in Palo Alto.
Blessed with charm, athleticism, and a wonderful sense of humor, Jeff made friends wherever he went. Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, he learned to work harder than anyone else to achieve his goals, which he did in every aspect of his life. He was a three-sport athlete at Palo Alto High School in football, water polo, and swimming, dedicating himself to his sports and teammates.
Jeff loved the outdoors and backpacking and was even photographed while climbing Half Dome in Yosemite National Park for National Geographic Magazine with his friend Bob. For their 60th birthdays, he and his friend Stuart completed the one mile Sharkfest open water swim in San Diego. Jeff was also accomplished academically, following graduation from Chico State University; he attended University of Oklahoma where he received his Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology.
During a brief break from studies, he was introduced to his sister Susie’s college roommate, Tammy Patton, who turned out to be the love of his life. They married in 1982 and had two daughters, Nicole in 1987 and Michelle in 1992. Jeff was a natural at being a dad.
He cherished every moment with his girls, enveloping them with his love and teaching them to live life with integrity, respect, fearlessness, a sense of humor and to always look for ways to help people. Jeff’s many skills enabled him to work in a variety of industries from telecommunications to education and to effectively manage the finish line for the Napa Valley Marathon for many years. He excelled at communication, project management, and problem solving.
For the past 16 years, he worked for the Napa Valley Unified School District, where he served as an administrator at Napa High School and then a special education teacher with the Aldea/school district partnership program A.D.A.P. T and later American Canyon High School. His personal experience with a learning disability enabled him to connect with students and parents in a very meaningful way, making a positive difference in these student’s lives.
Jeff loved to travel near and far with family and friends. He was able to make a bucket list trip to Italy in June, with his immediate family, sister Caroline and her family. He was also able to attend the Monterey Jazz Festival with dear friends one last time in September, something he had done for over thirty years.
Here’s to you Jeff, forever in our hearts, laughs and toasts. Memorial donations may be made to the American Brain Tumor Association.
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