Jeffrey Steven Van Slyke

Jeffrey Steven Van Slyke Jeff passed away February 7, 2017 after a 6-year journey with brain cancer. Every step, procedure, and surgery was handled with an amazing positive attitude, strength of character, and lack of complaint. He was born on September 23, 1981 in Caldwell, ID. Starting at age 6, he lived in San Antonio, Grand Prairie (TX), Brea (CA), Oceanside (CA), Keller (TX), Valley Ranch (TX), and Farmers Branch (TX). He graduated from Brea Olinda High School in 1999 and then joined the U.S. Marine Corp (Sergeant)--where he was deployed to Okinawa (2000) and Iraq (Enduring Freedom, 2003, 2006). During his battle with cancer, he worked full-time as an IT Technician and attended college at UT Dallas, graduating with a BS Computer Science. Upon graduation, he began working for Baylor Medical corporate offices in Dallas until he took FMLA leave on August 25, 2016 and began his final fight with repeated surgeries and home hospice. He was moved to the Dallas VA hospice center less than 24 hours before he passed. Jeff was a camping, hiking, and biking enthusiast, loved the Rangers and Cowboy games, enjoyed surfing in Oceanside, and was a loyal friend and loving family member to all his relatives. His constant smile and joking will be missed by all. Jeff is survived by his father Tim, mother Catherine (Sumter), brother Dennis, brother-in-law Roger, Grandma Mary Ann; faithful companion dog Lexi (all of Dallas), and various Van Slyke and Sumter relatives. He is preceded in death by maternal grandparents (Lavell and Bonnie Sumter), paternal grandfather (Dick Van Slyke), Uncle (Steven Van Slyke), and relatives Summer, Christopher, Danielle, and David. Viewing will be on February 10 (6-8) and funeral mass February 11 at 2 p.m. at Wade Funeral Home in Arlington, TX. Inurnment will be at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 2:00 pm. Cremains will be partially interred at the DFW National Cemetery (TX) and later at Canyon Hill Cemetery (Caldwell, ID). Donations may be made to brain cancer research or the VA Hospice Unit in Dallas.