Jeffery Ray Monroe, age 43, passed away in Madison, WI on Saturday, March 5, 2016, after an extraordinarily brave battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Jeff was born in Oshkosh, WI on October 1, 1972, the sixth child of William C. Monroe, Jr. and Darryl Ann (Ware) Monroe. Though Jeff's path in life took him down many unexpected roads and journeys, family was always at the center of his life. He will be dearly missed by family and friends, both far-flung and close to home.
Members of the Oshkosh community will remember Jeff as a student at North High School, and later, a student at UW-Oshkosh. Jeff was an avid comic book collector and role player with a vivid imagination and a great fondness of history, world religions, and philosophy. Jeff didn't merely share facts with others- rather, he was a gifted storyteller who could weave ideas into a rich tapestry of the mind. Jeff parlayed this skill into a career as an educator after earning his bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh, where he double majored in education and social sciences, with minors in religious studies and history. Jeff took his first teaching post in the Dallas-Fort Worth school district in Texas. He later followed an opportunity to teach for one year in London, U.K. His next position saw him as a high school teacher and athletic director in the small border town of San Luis, Arizona. Regardless of where he taught, Jeff worked diligently to instill a love of education in students that were facing difficult circumstances.
True to Jeff's pioneering spirit, his next station in life took him to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with posts in Los Angeles, California, and finally, Richmond, Virginia. Jeff was thrilled about his most recent work with the FBI, and was training for yet another new adventure with the Bureau as an Intelligence Analyst in Quantico when he fell ill during the summer of 2015. Jeff finally came home to Wisconsin and fought his battle with leukemia at UW Hospital in Madison, surrounded by his family and dedicated caregivers.
Jeff was a luminous, generous spirit, and though the world seems a dimmer place in his absence, it is impossible to estimate the number of lives that he brightened throughout his life. He is survived by his father, Bill Monroe, of Oshkosh; siblings, Bill (Anne) Monroe of Chicago, Illinois, Scott (Cathie) Monroe of Omro, Tracy (Rob) Burdick of Van Dyne, Mike (Shelly) Monroe of Madison, Jay Monroe of Neenah, and Jennifer (Bart) Dahl of Eau Claire. Jeff was a favorite uncle to his nieces and nephews: Megan, Erin, Sarah, Joseph, Jordan, Eli, Eric, Vincent, and his beloved godchild, Amanda. Jeff was preceded in death by his mother, Darryl, in 2013, and we pray that these two souls are reunited once more.
A memorial service has been arranged for Saturday, March 12 at 11:00 AM, hosted by Seefeld Funeral Chapel, 1025 Oregon St., Oshkosh, WI. Visitors are invited to greet the Monroe family at Seefeld on Friday evening from 5:00 - 7:00 PM, or on Saturday morning prior to the memorial service, from 10:00-11:00 AM.
Jeff's family is grateful for the outstanding, compassionate care extended by the medical staff of UW Hospital, as well as the support of his FBI family. We are comforted in knowing that he received the highest quality treatment during his final journey in life. Tchau!