Jeff Haley

Jeffery Allen Haley, 66, of Grinnell, formerly of Creston passed away Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer. A Celebration of Life and burial will be held at a later date. Memorials are to be established. The family would love for you to share your favorite stories and photos of Jeff. Please send them to jejahaley@gmail.com.

Jeff was born March 29, 1954, in Creston to Harry Howard and Ruth Annella (Roudybush) Haley.

Jeff grew up in rural Diagonal with his six sisters and five brothers on the family farm. The Haley kids were known locally as “The 12 J’s”. He graduated from Diagonal High School in 1972.

Jeff was married to Janet Eileen Shum July 17, 1971, in Clearfield. Jeff and Janet had two children: Greg and Jennifer. He worked at Farm and Home in Creston from 1972 to 1975 and also volunteered for the Creston Fire Department for 20 years.

Jeff began his career at Iowa Southern Utility (Alliant Energy) in 1975. He started as an apprentice mechanic and then worked as a lineman for 15 years.

In 1992, Jeff and Janet moved to Centerville, where Jeff worked as a Safety and Training Coordinator.

Jeff and Janet moved to their forever home in Grinnell in 1994, where he continued with Alliant Energy in various leadership roles. He served as manager of customer operations in Marshalltown for 11 years before his retirement in 2015. Throughout his 40-year career at Alliant Energy, Jeff worked on many storm recovery operations.

Jeff and Janet were members of Grinnell United Methodist Church. They enjoyed taking their six grandchildren on various travels and camping trips, including the Iowa State Fair each summer. Jeff spent his free time hunting and fishing, sharing his love of the outdoors with his grandkids. There was nothing he couldn’t fix and built many things in his workshops.

In 2011, Jeff and Janet purchased five acres west of Grinnell on what used to be the town of Turner. Together, they worked to make the acreage a place family could gather, naming the land “Three Oaks”.

Jeff and Janet bought a home in Casa Grande, Arizona, in 2018. They enjoyed spending the winters relaxing, meeting new friends, and hosting family.

Jeff is survived by his wife Janet; daughter Jennifer (Scott) Maiers of Iowa City; daughter-in-law Traci Haley (fiancé Mike Lebeda) of Creston; grandchildren: Nate (Tasha), Nicole, Megan and Jayson Haley, Braden and Alyssa Maiers; siblings: Janet (Lynn) Kesterson, Judith (Raymond) Hensley, Jerry (Janet) Haley, Joyce King, Janice (Vince) Gaeta, Jean Moffitt, Jack (Tina) Haley and Janelle (Duane) Shaffer; sisters-in-law: Shirley Haley, Roben Haley, Linda Clark and Sandra Anderson. Jeff was also blessed with many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and good friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Ruth Haley; his parents-in-law Hilding and Evelyn Shum; his son Greg Haley; brothers: Jim, Joe and JB Haley; brothers-in-law: Ronnie King, Ted Moffitt, Bill Clark and Dave Anderson.