Jeffrey P. "Jeff" Lenkowski

Jeffrey P. “Jeff” Lenkowski, 33, of Westfield, passed away peacefully on Sunday July 14, 2024, surrounded by his fiancé, Taylor Lyford; parents, Todd and Sue Lenkowski; and best friends, Terrance Foley and Jessica Nicol, and Cody and Sarah Chatterton, at Mercy Medical Center, after a dauntless battle with cancer. In true Jeffrey fashion, he was stubborn and determined to not let his diagnosis define his life. Born in Florence, on November 23, 1990, Jeff was a pillar of Ryan Road kid life. He became enamored with baseball at an early age, playing in the local farm and little leagues, and Saturday morning pickup games with Jim Mias. His love for baseball continued throughout his years, resulting in many evenings of yelling at the Red Sox, whether in person at Fenway Park or on the TV at the Brass Cat. Though a great player himself, Jeff did not play in the big leagues. Rather, he played in the community softball league at Maine’s Field, which he loved. The field will not be the same without him. Music was an important part of Jeff’s life. He loved metal and classic rock and was heavily involved with the local hardcore scene. He made lifelong friends while moshing, two-stepping, and being “circle-pit Jeff” at the Waterfront Tavern in Holyoke. In addition to these interests, above all Jeff was an avid fisherman. There are more photographs of Jeffrey with fish than there are of Jeffrey with Taylor, his parents, or his friends…combined. Jeff’s house of worship was the water, with a fishing rod in his hand. Whether it be morning, noon, or night, in places where maybe fishing was prohibited, you could find Jeff waiting for a bite. Even on the roughest days, fishing lifted Jeff’s spirits and he continued to find the energy to cast his line as his illness progressed. He graduated from Holyoke Community College and Westfield State University, with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. Throughout most of the 2010s, if you stopped into the Walmart Garden center, Jeff was there. He worked at J&E Precision and was highly regarded by his coworkers. Although Jeff greatly enjoyed his work and activities, there was nothing that meant more to him than his community—his family, his friends, his girl. Jeff is the kind of person that becomes legend. If you met him, you remembered him, and what you probably remembered is how deeply he cared about what you had to say, and how witty and clever his responses would be. Even throughout his journey with cancer, Jeff cared more about what his friends had to say and what was going on in their lives than his own battle. As he reached the end of this life, he listened intently to all who talked to him, and it showed. He was selfless through and through. He is the best friend that many of his friends will ever have, and he loved you all more than you know. Jeff was cherished by Taylor’s family, and they embraced him as their own. They enjoyed going to Patriots games together, although it is almost certain that Jeff was secretly rooting against them the whole time (go, Giants!). Jeff adored his parents. His mom, Sue, and dad, Todd. They are his biggest fans and supporters. As before, even though Jeff did not get to the big leagues, they cheered him on at each softball game as if he were the great Ted Williams himself. To them, he was, and so much more. He will always be your boy, and the love he has for you will live forever. There are no words that could explain how Jeff loved Taylor. He diligently pursued her during their friendship. If Taylor was somewhere, Jeff wanted to be there. Once he was able to catch her, Jeff’s enchantment with Taylor grew exponentially. He admired her dedication throughout nursing school and was so proud of the nurse she became. He was so grateful for her care of him, for the love she gave him, and for never letting him get away with being too sassy for too long. He was so proud to make her his fiancé and wanted nothing more than to call her his Wife. She was everything to him, and more, always. To keep it brief, Jeff leaves behind everyone, and was welcomed by everyone who left him. It goes without saying that Jeff will be missed by so, so many. His impact on the lives of those he knew and loved is legendary and transcends time and space. On behalf of Jeff and his family, we extend extraordinary gratitude to his providers at Mercy Medical Center. The Mercy Oncology Team, Steph, Cindy, Ashley, and Maria showed kindness, compassion, and love to Jeffrey that went above and beyond the call to care. He was so grateful for the care you gave him. The care team during his final days, especially Carol, Mary, and Mary, did everything in their power to keep Jeffrey comfortable. Their kindness and compassion were heroic and made this process possible for Jeff’s family and friends. We also thank the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for their guidance and care of Jeff. Calling hours will be Saturday from 1-4 PM on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at DROZDAL FUNERAL HOME, 120 Damon Rd., Northampton. A brief service will begin at 3:30 PM. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jeff’s memory to Paltown, an incredible resource for patients and families affected by cancer. To donate, please visit https://paltown.org/donate/ For more information or to leave the family a personal condolence, please visit Drozdalfuneralhome.com.

Jeffrey P. "Jeff" Lenkowski

November 23, 1990 - July 14, 2024