Jeffrey Paul Waite

Jeff was a man of immense talent—an elite bowler who nearly went pro and a supervisor at Nintendo of America. But Jeff’s life was also a long, hard-fought battle with addiction and homelessness.

After years of struggling on the streets of Yakima and several difficult attempts at rehab, Jeff finally found the peace we always hoped for.

In his final years, Jeff built a quiet, dignified life with his dear friend Nancy Morehead and their dog Rusty. They didn't have much, but they had each other—getting around Yakima in a cranky, old car with a trunk lid that refused to stay shut, often popping up unceremoniously in the middle of traffic.

In recent years, Jeff didn't blame anyone for his path. After he died, his older brother Jon found some notes in his room that read: "Until we are ready to love ourselves, we will not be able to fully love others." He also wrote: "When you are alone... guilt is the easiest to bear because it's your problem and nobody can judge you."

Jon and Nancy surmised that it’s clear Jeff finally took responsibility for his life and found a peace that had eluded him for decades—through all the years in and out of rehab centers—until that last one in Yakima, where he eventually chose to trade the facility for a life of his own making on the streets he knew so well.

Jeff is now reunited with our mom, Lorrie, our brother Jay, and our father, John "Jack" Waite.

Jeff was enormously proud of his two sons, Jack and Nick. We also want to say that Nancy is now a member of our surviving family.

Rest easy,

Jeff. You kept "movin' forward" until you finally found home. We love you. We'll meet you in Roche Harbor.