Jeff Kaczinski

Jeff Alan Kaczinski, 62, beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, passed away, unexpectedly, at his home in Chicago, Illinois, on December 3, 2024. Per his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. A gathering to celebrate his life is being planned in spring, 2025, to coincide with MLB opening-day weekend.

Jeff was born July 20, 1962, in Davenport, IA, to Vincent and Marlene (Kappeler) Kaczinski. He attended North Scott Schools, graduating with the class of 1980, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, basketball and tennis teams. Jeff attended the University of Iowa, pursuing a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, graduating with honors in 1984. He truly loved his Iowa Hawkeyes, and was a fan, for life. At most times, he was a very vocal one, indeed! Regardless of the outcome, no Hawkeye game was complete without Jeff sending a family text, filled with exclamation points. He loved telling the story of joining the entire student section storming Kinnick Stadium field, when in 1981, the Hawkeyes beat Michigan State, for the chance to play in the Rose Bowl. After being knocked to the ground during the melee on the field, a kind Iowa football player, assisted him to safety, and thus began a lifetime of bleeding black and gold.

After college, Jeff, or J.A., as he was affectionately known, moved to the city of Chicago where he became a life-long Cubs fan, however, he just couldn’t get himself to cheer for the Bears!  Living near Wrigley Field, Uncle Jeff enjoyed showing his nieces and nephews his beloved city and cheering with them, and many others, at countless Cubs games.  In his-earlier Chicago years, he coached inner-city youth baseball, finding it very rewarding. 

Jeff worked as an Environmental Chemist Manager for Gulf Coast Laboratories, where he oversaw the identification/quantification of organic carcinogens in soil, waste water and drinking water. He performed on-site petroleum identification for the U.S. Coast Guard during the Exxon Valdez oil spill. He then pursued a Juris Doctorate Degree from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, graduating on the Dean’s list in 1999. He worked as a Legal Litigation Consultant and Associate Attorney for several law firms in the city of Chicago and was a member of the Illinois Bar Association.

While growing up #4, in a family of 5 children, there were many adventures and sports-filled days. From hiking, camping, fishing and swimming at Scott County Park, ice skating on the local pond, to backyard wiffle ball and “boys-against-the-girls” football, with Dad as all-time quarterback, there was always some form of sibling competition. And then, there was the “Turkey Bowl”, the annual backyard, Thanksgiving Day football game, played with his brother Scott, and cousins Mike and Mark. 

Jeff played youth baseball and once won the Park View putt-putt golf tournament. With a tennis court in the neighborhood, tennis quickly became a self-taught family obsession, and in adult years, many weekends were spent taking over a local tennis court for an all-day, and into-the-night, family tournament. Jeff continued playing tennis in Chicago, becoming a member of a Chicago tennis club. 

Jeff played softball on the Dumar men’s team, with his brother, Scott. When the Kaczinski-family coed softball team was formed with friends, many summer weekends were spent playing in local softball tournaments. Jeff always made the trip from Chicago to play in these tournaments. The team played together for years, and even as we all aged, we think he would agree - we played pretty darned well together, all the while, forging life-long friendships. In addition to softball and tennis, Jeff enjoyed many warm-weather sports. He played beach volleyball, and was an avid cyclist, participating in RAGBRAI several years. He was a certified scuba diver and displayed beautiful underwater photos in his apartment. He was nearly “carried out to sea” on one of his dives...well, this was according to him! He also enjoyed ski trips to Colorado. On one family vacation taken by train to Winter Park, Jeff made the decision to fly home, rather than endure another 18 hour train experience! That was our Jeff! And, lest we forget, there was that infamous tandem skydiving weekend, with family and friends! The whole idea was to jump OUT of the airplane, J.A.! 

Jeff is lovingly remembered, and will be missed, by his mother, Marlene (Tootie) Kaczinski, Eldridge, siblings, and their families, Brenda Lee (Rich) Madsen, Collett (Dan) Gillam, both of Bettendorf, Scott (Annette) Kaczinski, Delmar, IA, and Denise (Drew) Poshard, Morton, IL. 

He leaves behind his beloved nieces, nephews and their families, Luke, Brandon, and Nick Hull, Jessica Quandahl, Robyn Lynott, JB Graham, Angela Lofgren, Jeremy Gillam, Taylor Evans, Eli Kaczinski, Josye Allison, Madlyn Fernandes, and Gil and Piper Poshard.  He also leaves behind dear friends, Dan Collins, Joseph Luna, Robert Garza and many others in Chicago, Eldridge, and beyond. He will be missed by his two rescue cats, Scotch and Diego. 

A sweet, kind soul, Jeff was a devoted and loving son, tremendous brother, adored uncle, and amazing friend. He was that person you always wanted on your team. That was our Jeff! 

He was preceeded in death by his grandparents, and his father, Vince.

Memorials may be made to Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control, www.fcacc.org., or to the family, for future allocation.

This is our love story, to you, J.A. We hope you are enjoying a beer with Dad, and sharing a belly laugh, with our friend, Suz. She was one of your biggest fans, as are we all.

With love to you, Jeff, until we meet again. Keep on cheering, from Heaven; we’ll take it, from here.

GO HAWKS!

GO CUBBIES!

Arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options in Schiller Park, Illinois.  Memories and condolences can be shared at www.chicagolandcremationoptions.com/obituary/jeff-kaczinski