Brent C. Jeffers passed away in Sidney, Neb. on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at the age of 68.

Brent was born on Oct. 18, 1954, and grew up on a farm northeast of Haxtun. He was educated in the Haxtun school system. Upon graduation he attended Northeastern Junior College where he met the love of his life, Patty Firkins. The couple were married on Dec. 7, 1974, and moved to Gunnison, where Brent attended Western State College.

After Brent received a degree in elementary education, the couple returned to a farm northeast of Haxtun. He started his teaching career in Crook, where he taught third grade for two years. He was then offered a job in his hometown of Haxtun where he spent the next 10 years teaching and coaching.

In 1991 he accepted a job in Sidney as the elementary principal where he was employed for the next 25 years. During his tenure he served as principal at North and South Elementary and at Lorenzo and District 77, before finishing his career at Central Elementary.

In addition, wherever Brent lived he was actively involved in those communities, serving on various committees and boards. In Sidney he was a founding member of the Way Out West Community Theatre, served with CASA, and was a GED instructor along with Jean Rankin. He received a number of community awards, including the Sidney Jaycees Ralph Olsen Memorial Community Member of the Year in 2007, the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2015 and the Edna Anderson Award in 2021. He also received the Distinguished Principal of the Year award from the Region 5 Elementary Principals Association in 2008-09. He was the president of that same association for a number of years.

Brent loved children with all of his heart, and over the years, hundreds of kids in our communities knew and loved Mr. Jeffers. Everyone knew he was devoted to the overall well-being and maturity of children as well as their education. He made an amazing impression on so many little ones who are now adults and parents.

Brent was also actively involved in the Evangelical Free Church of Sidney where he faithfully served God in numerous ways over the years. He was an adult Sunday School teacher, Church Elder and Board member, Children's Church teacher, Life Group leader, Men's Ministry leader, Bible Study leader, Prayer Team member, Greeter, Hospital Visitation minister, Short Term Missionary member, bus driver and more. He became head of the Ark Ministry, which has reached out to children in the Sioux Villa area year-round for over 20 years.

Along with his church ministries, he was a long-time volunteer with Kairos – a prison ministry at the Sterling Colorado Correctional Facility where he led weekly Bible studies in addition to helping lead numerous weekend-long spiritual retreats within the walls for inmates. Likewise, he led Bible studies at the Cheyenne County Jail. He was a founding member and Chaplain of the Christian Motorcyclist Association in Sidney and helped with a variety of state and national ministry events.

It was obvious to all that Brent truly loved God and loved people. He was a faithful keeper of the Greatest Commandment in the Bible – to love the Lord with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. He will always be remembered for his outgoing personality, a great sense of humor, his compassion for needy and hurting people, being a loyal friend to many and a great brother in Christ.

For Brent, today is truly "the best day ever!" We know that he is experiencing eternal life in Heaven, not because of the many good things he did, but because of God's amazing grace. Brent believed and embraced this truth from the Bible: "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Patty; sons Joseph and wife Linda and Jonathan, both of Sidney; granddaughter Olivia; brother Darwin and wife Ellie, Haxtun, as well as numerous extended family members to whom he was extremely devoted.

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother Kenneth.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 15 at the Evangelical Free Church in Sidney with Pastor Kyle Larson and Pastor Doug Birky officiating. Burial will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney. Services will be livestreamed on the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel Facebook page and recorded for later viewing on our website.

You may view Brent's Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at http://www.gehrigstittchapel.com. Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Brent's care and funeral arrangements. Memorials can be made in care of the family for later designation.