Jeffrey Michael DeMass (aka: Jeffrey D, Uncle Jeff, Jeffie, Jefe, Jefe Deezy, JD, J$D, JDizz, Diesel, D-Mas, Dumas, DeMass the Boss, Ocho, Ocho Cinco, Ochito, High Cotton, Rich Johnson, Holmes, Homie, Home Skillet, and, most recently, Lil’ Fent) joined the party in The Great Beyond on June 25, 2018 after a heroic battle with cancer. He was 38 years old, but managed to pack in quite the life during his earthly adventure. Jeff was born on October 16, 1979 at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He was the first of five children born to Jack Michael “Mike” DeMass and Joan Marie Gossling DeMass. Jeff was raised in West Jordan, UT. Throughout his youth, Jeff enjoyed learning about surveying and drafting with his dad.
With this firsthand experience, Jeff oftentimes found himself teaching other students and colleagues how to use emerging technologies, and ultimately worked in offices around Salt Lake and Grass Valley, California. However, he found himself getting bored with the technical aspects of his chosen field and began seeking more creative and people-focused opportunities. Jeff started exploring the great big world in his early 20’s.
In his own words, he “managed to turn a weekend into a crazy couple of years”. While it was stressful for many at the time and made for some truly mind-blowing stories, these hard lessons served as a springboard for Jeff’s evolution—giving him new direction, compassion for those who are struggling to find their path, and his trademark optimism. By his mid-20s, Jeff decided to start using his many talents for the greater good.
After finding a mentor, a business partner, and his first investor (and future wife), Jeff decided on Easter weekend 2007 that he was going to be an entrepreneur and his own boss no matter what it took— and he never looked back. While he oftentimes called being an entrepreneur the “bipolar rollercoaster,” he had found his passion and calling in life, and woke up each day determined to turn his visions into reality. Over the last decade, Jeff had his hand in dozens of businesses.
His companies own multiple patents with hundreds more patentable ideas. His mom always said he would be an inventor. His most recent company, Spacepaste, was thing that kept him going throughout his treatments.
He felt enormous responsibility to everyone who invested in him. Fifteen minutes after he learned the cancer was unstoppable and he chose to go on hospice, he was back at his computer, making sure his legacy would live on through his life’s work and all those who believed in him. In the rare times he wasn’t focused on business, Jeff was an avid sleeper, Pokémon and Caveman Keno player, rapper, foodie, and watch enthusiast.
He secretly knew everything about exotic cars and could name every car on the road at night by its headlights. He loved the beach and dreamed of owning an island. And he loved nothing more than being an uncle and spending time with his wife and fuzzy little kitty.
Jeff was armed with a quick wit and a contagious charisma. He was magnetic. And he inspired all of those around him to always look for the silver lining, don’t be afraid to fail, work tirelessly for your dreams, and make everyday a party.
It will be hard to find a man more loving, accepting, positive, and driven…or a soul who loves life as much as this one does. While we stand in amazement of his life, we are so excited to see all of the incredible things Jeffrey D will accomplish as one of the coolest Guardian Angels anyone could ever ask for. Our beloved angels greeting him on the other side include father, Mike DeMass; father-in-law, Buddy Hathcote; uncle, Rick DeMass; grandparents, Jack Louis DeMass, Mary Taylor DeMass, Ruth Mary Mehren Gossling, and Kenneth Madsen Gossling; cousins, Grant Gossling and Jaxon Oliver; and nieces, Faith DeMass and Baby Hennefer.
Jeff is survived by his mother, Joan DeMass; mother-in-law, Carol Hathcote; siblings, Jonathan and Crystal DeMass, Bradley and Whitney DeMass, Katie and Mike Wissler, Matthew DeMass, Jake and Linda Hennefer, and Joe Hathcote; nieces and nephews, Abby DeMass, Aiden Hennefer, Isabelle Powell, Paisley Wissler, Kya Bowen, Titan Wissler, and Scotland DeMass; a whole gang of aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers-from-other-mothers, and sisters-from-other-misters; his sweet baby kitty, Sasha; and his loving wife, Kirsten Hathcote DeMass. A Memorial Service celebrating Jeffrey’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 30, 2018 in the LDS Taylorsville 9th Ward Chapel located at 2030 Chateau Avenue, Taylorsville, UT 84129. A Visitation will be held at 10:00 am prior to the service, and following the services, there will be a graveside dedication at Murray City Cemetery, 5490 South Vine Street, Murray, UT 84107.
In lieu of flowers, Jeff and Kirsten request that you please consider making a donation in Jeff’s honor to our cousins’ cancer research foundation (grantinggracefoundation.org) or to another family battling cancer. We have been blessed beyond measure from the grace and goodwill of others throughout this difficult time and we would like to now help pay it forward.
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