Jeffrey Schiff

JEFFREY SCHIFF, 81, passed away on November 21, 2023, from renal failure. Jeff was the beloved husband of Nancy Johnson for 25 years. He was previously married to Marilyn Nelson (deceased) and was loving father to Debra (Matthew) Ryan, Daniel (Lisa) Schiff, Brian (Kim) Schiff, and Martin Schiff. He was dear papa to Cassidy Ryan, Scott Schiff (deceased), Quincy Schiff, Trinity Schiff, Lyndi (Teddy) Mallers, and great papa to Theo Mallers. Jeff was also stepfather to Vicki (Rich) Fink and dear papa to Joey Fink.

Jeff was born in Chicago and never left the area he loved, residing in the northwest suburbs all of his adult life. After high school, Jeff found work with a small trucking firm and eventually started his own air freight and messenger company. He sold his business after 40 years and retired while recovering from his first kidney transplant.

Schifty was passionate about life, born on and off the athletic fields, where he spent his free time coaching and playing…baseball, softball, and volleyball. Post transplant, he renewed his interest and participation in table tennis. Jeff became a nationally ranked member of the U.S. Table Tennis Association in his 60’s and continued playing, even as his health declined, at three senior centers several times per week.

In addition to his love of sports, Jeff devoted many volunteer hours to promoting organ donation through the Gift of Hope and the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. In April of 2000, Jeff had a kidney transplant and received “the gift of life” from his wife, Nancy. This eventually led to his participation in the U.S. as well as Australia and Canada. He won successive gold medals, but most importantly he was a living example of how life after transplantation can be fully lived. What he cherished most in his nearly 20 years of competing were the lifelong friends he made and hearing their survival stories!

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 26, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Countryside Funeral Home, 333 South Roselle Road, Roselle, IL 60172. Pastor Pablo will lead a short prayer service at 5:30 p.m.

In Jeff’s memory, a donation to Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, 425 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, IL 60143 or Christ Presbyterian Church, 903 East Nerge, Roselle, IL 60172 would be very appreciated.