News-Record.com

Jeff gave me the opportunity to write my first two stories while I was in college. I remember on the first one I had to go back two additional times until I got it right. But it was worth it to see my first story in print.
He was one of the people that took a chance and helped further my newspaper career.

I just saw the story and was stunned. What a tragedy.
Jeff was so amiable- a very "genuine" person- and a talented reporter. He'll be missed.
My best to everyone at the N&R and to Jeff's family.

Jim Scott

My condolences to the whole staff at the News and Record and to his family. He was too young. I never met him, but remember his work and it was best described by this quote, "He treated people fairly and got it right." I thoroughly agree.

Jeff was objective, thorough, and professional while covering N.C. A&T. He knew how to ask the hard questions but he had a kind spirit.
The Aggie family has the Carlton family and the News & Record in our thoughts and prayers.
Mable Scott
North Carolina A&T State University

I have had the privledge of knowing and working with Jeff Carlton for about the past seven-and-a-half years, ever since I became a sports stringer in the fall of 2000. For those unfamiliar with the newspaper business, a "stringer" is like a free-lance writer, who's hired by a publication, such as the News & Record, to cover a certain event, because that publication may not have enough staff to cover that event at a particular time.

I started working with Jeff on high school football coverage in August of 2000, then transitioned into basketball and other high school sports. Jeff taught me a lot about sportswriting, and worked with me to help improve my writing skills. For that, I am forever grateful and indebted to him. He was always very thorough, giving me pre-game notes, stats, or whatever he could provide, to help make the assignment go smoothly, and to make sure the story was accurate. His knowledge of local high school sports was outstanding and unsurpassed.

Jeff was well-respected amongst high school coaches, administrators, and players in the Triad. Everywhere I went, when I told folks I was writing for the News & Record, they always asked me how Jeff was doing, and always praised him for his writing and professionalism. He will be deeply missed, and I am truly saddened by this loss. May you rest in peace, Jeff.

Jeff was a consummate professional, and whether it was the high school sports, ACC action or the Wyndham Championship, I always enjoyed spending time with him. He was indeed a credit to the News & Record staff, and I'll miss him.

Jeff's influence was felt far and wide. He started me in the business 16 years ago when we were both students at U.Va.

I lost touch with him over the years, but in college Jeff's intensity when he covered a game was second-to-none. There was no point in trying to talk to him, because he was so wrapped up in taking notes and following the flow of the game. He was a model for how to work hard in a stressful environment while maintaining sanity and composure.

Sympathies to Jeff's family, friends and colleagues from halfway across the country.

Kevin Seifert
Minneapolis Star Tribune

I also met Jeff at U.Va. as a fledgling college sportswriter in 1992, and while the games are forgotten, I will always remember his ever-present baseball cap, his dry sense of humor, his friendliness, and the example he set for the younger staff members of our college paper. He was a stand-up guy all the way around and he will be missed.

Jeff, who graduated the year before I started at UVa, was instrumental in getting me my second (and rescuing me from my first!) newspaper job out of college. He gave me a call when he decided to leave Charlottesville and told me of the vacancy. I got the job and ended up staying with the Daily Progress for five years.
Our paths crossed again when I started working for the News & Record sports department in 2005, and it was great to see a friendly face that first week.
I will always remember Jeff as the person who opened the door to what turned out to be a great experience for me.
My thoughts and prayers are with Jeff's family and the News & Record staff.

Jeff and I covered many games together when I worked at the High Point Enterprise and he was on the UNC beat for the News and Record. I was always glad to discover we were on the same flight to cover a road game and always happy to see him walk into the press room. His wry sense of humor and off-the-wall take on things could break the tension of any deadline pressure.

He called me less than a month ago, and we talked at length. I am heartbroken at today's news, but I know eventually the good times and the friendship I was lucky enough to share will be the things I remember.

Rest in peace, Jeff! We won't forget you.

This is sad, sad news. I thought he was doing really well when I saw him in early December and told some colleagues no longer in the area that Jeff looked terrific. It gave us comfort he was on the upswing.

This sudden turn of events is truly sad, and my heart and prayers go out to Jeff's family and his friends and the staff at the News-Record.

- Andrew

I met Jeff when I worked briefly at the N&R as a sports editorial assistant a couple years back.

I didn't know him very well until the N&R softball season rolled around and we became teammates.
We had such a terrible team (haha) but I loved how competitive Jeff was and I'll always remember that old worn Virgina cap he sported every game.

The best times were after the games when some of the guys would hang out in the parking lot and chat. It was during these sessions that Jeff offered me a lot of great advice and support on this business and he's a big reason why I stuck with sportswriting.

He battled the health problems long before I knew him, but you would have never known it from the way he lived his life. Lefty was always upbeat and quick to offer a witty remark and it's just hard to believe he won't be out there this spring.

Thoughts go out to his family and anyone else who had the pleasure of knowing him.

RIP #30

Brad Howell
Wilson Daily Times

During the summer of 2006 and when I was a junior at N.C. A&T, Jeff became my mentor. Most of all, he became my friend. So today hurts a lot.

Soon after becoming my mentor, I went to work for the N&R as an editorial assistant and stringer. Jeff always found time to offer up some words of encouragement and helped me get to where I am today. We often shared some times of laughter.

I was employed at the N&R until July of 2007 and when I went to work for a competitor, I remember Jeff saying 'even though you're going to work for a competitor best of luck to you.' He always told me I was doing a great job.

Jeff is going to be missed.

Darrick Ignasiak

I met Jeff in college and we worked together at The Cavalier Daily. Jeff always made me laugh no matter what. He went through so much -- but I would never know. He always had such a good humor about him. I honestly miss him already.

Speaking of "worn caps" I have the honor of having his "worn" Red Sox cap and today, I cherish it more than ever.

He was a great spirit, an extraordinary writer and a wonderful friend. At this point, Jeff would have found something witty and insightful to add to this post -- I'm simply left speechless and heartbroken.

Jeff and I hit it off from the time I met him when he was covering a UVa soccer game, back when they still played at Scott Stadium and Bruce Arena was still the coach. He was a year behind me in school, but we worked together at The Cavalier Daily for three years and then shared countless experiences through newspapers, sports and a lot more.

Between all of us, we know he had a variety of interests from politics to pets to poker. As far as sports goes, no one was more passionate about the Phillies and the Caps for sure.

As a journalist, he treated every subject and every game with fairness and thoroughness, whether it was a high school game or the Final Four. As a fan, he was always up for a good road trip to see just about anything. Even this past year, we got to see the AT&T National golf tournament, a Washington Nationals game
and a UVa baseball game in the NCAA regionals.

I also remember him running down a foul ball in Butte, Mont., on a cross-country trip we took with our friend Steve. And him coming along with me on my bachelor-party weekend trip with exciting baseball stops like Aberdeen, Md., and Reading, Pa. And there is so much more that keeps coming back to me.

Jeff and I had oddly similar career paths. He worked in Danville when I was in Martinsville; we worked in Charlottesville together again at the Daily Progress in the mid-'90s; and he moved to Greensboro after I started working in Durham. Though I moved to Northern Virginia in 2001 and he never made it back up this way permanently, he remained a great friend to me, my wife and our daughter.

Our prayers are with his family and all of his other wonderful friends.

I worked with Jeff for 8 years before I retired from the News & Record. He somehow combined a ferocious work ethic with an even-keel demeanor. While things were swirling about him, he remained the quiet port in the storm. He wrote well, met his deadlines and wrote game stories, features and columns with equal aplomb. I can offer only the highest praise of a fellow journalist -- Jeff was a real pro.

Jeff fought this illness with determination and quiet dignity and never let us feel sorry for him. Even though more treatment was imminent, we all thought he would beat it because he always had. To lose him this suddenly is devastating to all who knew him as a friend and colleague.

He would no doubt be embarrassed by the praise now coming his way. But rest easy, my friend. No one deserves it more.

Bill Hass
Greensboro

It is with tears of sorrow and joy that I read the very kind and heartfelt messages left here by Jeff's many friends and colleagues (which in many cases may be one and the same).

Although I rarely saw him in his work environment, everything I've read here rings so true for the brother I knew in an entirely different context. I can tell you - and it will come as no surprise - that his wry sense of humor was very much alive even as he faced his final hours among us.

He will be sorely mIssed. On behalf of the Carlton and Smith families, we thank you all very much for your friendship and support for Jeff during all the good times and the bad. We hope to welcome and meet many of you at Jeff's memorial service here in Greensboro on Saturday.

One of the best things about my tenure back in Sports was listening to Jeff and Jim Young go on and on and on - about sports, about work, about everything. The two of them were like a Seinfeld episode in real time, one feeding off the other (and mostly because the two of them could quote everything from that show, no matter how obscure).

I'll miss the heck out of Jeff.

I am at a loss for words, however Mr. Carlton will be missed by many. My condolences go out to his family and true friends. May his soul rest in peace and his memory live on forever.

Jeff and I, in many ways, had a real-life version of a Seinfeld friendship. Which is kind of strange, actually, that a 'Show about nothing' could be the basis for a relationship that meant so much. But if you knew Jeff, or spent time around the two of us, you'd understand.

His cubicle at the News & Record sat next to mine. In the long stretches between interviews, during the frequent bouts with writer's block or while trying to avoid tedious transcriptions, we'd engage in conversations that could drift any which way at any moment. Frequently they were about minutiae that would only interest the two of us -- what other movies was Yaphet Kotto in besides Live and Let Die? Was there a better villain than James Earl Jones in Conan the Barbarian? Was Sammy Khalifa the only Arab-American to play in the Major Leagues? -- but they were always entertaining. They were talks I looked forward to every time I'd walk into the office and he would spin around in his chair to greet me. Our boss, Joe Sirera, used to joke that we could create a radio show just by recording the random conversations Jeff and I had and putting them on the air.

I realize that doesn't sound like the storybook version of friendship. Jeff never pulled me from a run-away train. I never introduced him to the love of his life. But in the real world -- the one that now has a huge, unfillable void it in now that Jeff is gone -- this is the true way friendship works: two guys, sitting around, having a conversation about nothing, sharing moments that, when you look back on them, mean everything.

I miss you Jeff. I always will.

That is well said, and it means so much. Jeff should have been here longer, but while he was here, seemed to so enjoy what he did for a living, as well as all you guys he worked with. He made every day count, and you did, too. What a neat, funny guy.

Thoughts go out tonight to all of you in the Sports Dept., and especially the Carlton family.

Lorraine A.

The man best known for his love and dedication to sports and sports writing also adored dogs, The Sopranos and '80s pop (there will never be a better imitation of Billy Idol's sneer).

He thought nothing of giving a stranded man with a baby a ride home in the summer heat. He was a superbly gifted conversationalist, even with a sworn Communist he sat next to at a dinner party of liberals in Northern California.

He was more creative than he liked to let on. He could draw, as a kid creating a garage-rock band with a drummer named Biff Knuckles (how Jeff-like a name is that?)

All of these things and countless more that his self-deprecating nature wouldn't want revealed made Jeff who he was. We are blessed for having had him in our lives.

I first met Jeff in the summer of 2003 when I interned at the N&R sports desk. I loved that summer, and Jeff was a huge reason for it -- I liked him instantly, and I never ceased to marvel at (and, as crazy as this sounds, to envy) his insanely trivial banter with Jim Young. If only I had the kind of memory for the obscure and lightning-quick, wry wit that Jeff and Jim had, then I'd be in business! They managed to keep each other amused on sticky August days in the newsroom, and they kept the rest of us amused, too.

I got to know Jeff even better on the UNC beat when I was at the Daily Tar Heel, and I always enjoyed his company whether we were waiting for John Bunting to ride his bicycle back from practice or playing pool on a UNC road trip. Jeff loved talking baseball, and after I moved on to Baseball America he would always chat with me about upcoming prospects in the Red Sox and Phillies organizations.

Whenever our group of sportswriters would get together to play cards, it seemed like Jeff would never go down easily. Just when you thought you had him on his last legs, he would go all-in three or four times in a row and wind up winning the game (he did this to me on a number of occasions). He's been so strong in the face of his illness that I truly thought he would pull out another miracle comeback. His loss is tough to take, but I'm so grateful to have so many memories of Jeff to look back upon. We'll miss you, Jeff.

I am hesitant to call Jeff a colleague. You see, I never was and never could be his equal when it came to ability, skill or even recalling the most obscure facts from pop culture or sports trivia. To be honest, after receiving an e-mail from Jeff, I would often peruse old Seinfeld scripts to get the proper response or Google the random trivia he brought up in conversation. Although I came into the News & Record as a wide-eyed newbie with little to no Seinfeld (or reporting!) background, Jeff always treated me as an equal, and his easygoing friendship reaffirmed it. He never derided me (too much) for my unfaltering support of the Lovable Losers, but maybe that's just because his Phillies were never much better. I cherished our lunches together, and just last week, we made tentative plans to go out for lunch again, saying we'd play it by ear since he was going back in for treatment. I looked up to Jeff - how could you not? He was a friend to all, and more than anything, that's what matters most.
Farewell my friend. You will be dearly missed.

I did not know Jeff as well as the rest of the commenters here but I find myself nodding and agreeing with everything written above. In our conversations he was quick to laugh and always eager to go off on a tangent if it had any promise of a good story. I sent him a freelance piece I was submitting cold to another organization, asking if he would give it a look. I figured he would read it, make one or two suggestions and that would be that. He ended up writing me a 1,000-word reply and offered numerous tips. He was that kind of guy. We should all strive to be as helpful and kind-hearted as Jeff was in his life.

He was Jefferson to me. Always will be.

The first time I talked to him was when he and Jim Young tag teamed me on a conference-call interview. It was an interview for a prep writer gig, my first job in the real world, and by the time we hung up I felt like I had known them both for years. Of course I'm pretty sure they spent more time sharing Seinfield references than asking questions (no complaints here, that's for sure). But the bond started there. When I showed up, Jeff immediately took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. He was the best teacher I could have asked for ... consistently making time to answer my questions or offer up feedback - and always with a smile on his face. He became my mentor and good friend.

After I moved to Tampa, we still kept in touch. I'll never forget picking him up at the airport for the ACC Tournament. Poor fella was scared out of his mind... "Do you want me to drive?" ... "Are you sure you know where you're going?" ... "They're braking - Kellie!" I'm pretty sure he knew he'd be just fine. We were.

I considered Jefferson my big brother, and he adopted me as his kid sister. I could count on him for anything - from covering the occasional high school football game to helping me sort through my life. It hurts to lose such an amazing friend and talented writer, but I am so thankful I had the chance to know him.

As a former co-worker of Jeff's, I don't think I ever grasped how truly ill he was. Now I know why -- That's the way he wanted it. His dignity and courage are an inspiration.

My thoughts are with his family and friends.

I keep remembering the little things that make me smile when I think about Jeff ... how much he hated nuts in his brownies ... his frustration over middle pocket pairs ... 4 a.m. bowling ... Seinfeld ... the time he and a friend accidentally added liquid dish soap, rather than dishwasher detergent, to the appliance -- and it took two cycles and a half-hour of scooping to get all of the suds out of the kitchen.

Jeff and I competed on the UNC beat for several seasons, but I was also lucky enough to call him a friend. He wrote many great stories as a sports writer, but he's a part of so many more.

I miss ya, JC.

I got to know Jeff and the rest of the guys back in sports through Kellie Dixon, a good friend of mine. She called him "Jefferson," a habit I picked up after she moved to Tampa. Jeff always answered -- never mind the fact that that wasn't his name -- taking time to shoot the breeze with me about my beloved Carolina Tar Heels or whatever else was on my mind.

I'd often get the chance to tag along with the sports crew to lunch. One fall day in 2006, I was going to meet Jeff and Kellie at a restaurant on Elm Street. Before lunch, I ran over to Triad Stage to say hello to a new friend. That friend ended up joining us for lunch, a first, and the four of us had a delightful time talking about basketball and prep sports. That friend will become my husband later this year. For years to come, I'll always think of Jeff when I remember that lunch date.

The newsroom has a recognition board where we can post kudos to co-workers when they do something great. I thought Jeff's story on the Dudley wrestling coach last month was superb and took a second to scribble out a recognition slip. A few weeks later, I got an email from Jeff, thanking me for thinking of him.

No, Jeff, thank you. It was an honor to know such a kind soul. I can't imagine wandering back to sports and no seeing you at your desk, pecking away at tomorrow's great read. You'll be truly missed.

I was truly saddened to hear the news about Jeff on Thursday morning. Greensboro lost a good sports writer. But more importantly, we all lost a great friend.
Jeff was always someone I could count on to lighten the mood, whether it was with another hard-luck poker story or a Seinfeld reference. When I considered leaving the newspaper business, which I did last August, Jeff was someone I could count on for advice.
My thoughts and prays go out to his family and everyone who knew him at the News & Record.

Jeff Wirick, Harrisburg, Pa.

I knew him on the prep beat years ago and he wrote for me occasionally early on when I was running the prep website iHigh here in NC. He'd moved on from the prep beat and I knew he'd changed again what he was covering when he was first diagnosed with the cancer. When he came back to preps (which is demanding) I thought he must really be doing well. Hearing of his passing really saddens me.

Personally he was a nice funny guy, one that I enjoyed seeing at state championships. You can always tell how nice someone really is after hours and hours working - sometimes in the heat outside with no power. Some I would call newspapers & reporters, looking for info and sometimes they call me - Jeff was always helpful and always thankful when asking for something from me.

My condolences to his family and his newspaper friends.

It's been over a year since I last saw Jeff and over 4 years since working with him at the N&R. I probably had more contact with Jeff than with other reporters because we built quite an impressive prep section on the News & Record web site together. No matter how busy and stressed things got, Jeff was always excited to help me post prep football scores and keep the web site timely and accurate.

There are moments like these when I wish I had taken time to visit Greensboro more often and stay in close contact with great people like Jeff. I'll miss him...but will never forget his passion for sports and everything else in life.

Jeff and I met when we both worked at the Daily Progress in Charlottesville. I remember a certain Steven Wright performance, our joint introduction to Cracker (playing with the Richmond symphony, of all things) and a really offensive comic one New Year's Eve.

I also remember sitting in the hospital while Jeff had his first surgery. As soon as he came out of it, he was cracking jokes and asking about sports scores. Just months later, my husband and I were lucky to have Jeff among those who stood up for us at our wedding.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Jeff's family. He was a wonderful person who will be dearly missed.

JEFF MADE MY DAUGHTER SHINE IN THE EYES OF READERS IN 2007, SHE WAS A SENIOR AT EASTERN RANDOLPH. HE ALWAYS WAITED FOR US TO GET THE INFORMATION HE NEEDED TO GET A GOOD STORY. I GREATLY APPRECIATED ALL HE DID FOR AMI & I WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH. HE WAS A TRUE SPORTS WRITER THAT LOVED HIS JOB.
JAN HUTCHERSON

In the movie "Waking Ned Devine," there's a scene where one of the main characters talks about how great it would be to attend your own funeral so you could hear all the great things people said about you -- things they maybe didn't think to tell you while you were still alive. Jeff, I hope that somehow you know the positive effect you had on those people you knew in your 30-some years on this earth.

I'd mostly lost touch with Jeff, but like a few others posting here, he was my editor when I started writing sports for The Cavalier Daily at UVa. If Jeff could hear what I have to say, he'd know that I admired him for the quality of his work, his guidance to a newbie sportswriter, and his personality and sense of humor.

I remember him deftly running our ACC rotiss basketball league, which was quite a labor of love in the days before the Internet. My team featured three Clemson players and UVa center Ted Jeffries, so Jeff thoughtfully named my team "Three Rednecks and the Fat Man." (In my defense, we won the league.) I remember a picture of Jeff standing by a moose crossing sign in Alaska when he covered the Great Alaskan Shootout. I remember that sports PSA we would run in the CD featuring a photo of him and Lennie Wirtz.

Reading all the posts here, it's obvious that Jeff had a similar effect on those he knew after he left UVa. He was one of the good guys, no doubt about it. He'll be missed.

I had the pleasure of working around Jeff on the Carolina beat for several years, and it was always clear to me how highly his colleagues at other papers felt about him. He was a true professional and will be missed. My condolences to those he leaves behind.

Mark Simpson-Vos
Inside Carolina

While Jeff and I weren't nearly as close as he was with Jim Young and so many others, he very quietly snuck his way into my everyday routines through our poker games. We played cards every few weeks for the past three years, which led to a constant stream of emails between us all as we tried to get our crazy schedules to work. Jeff was always up for a game, driving to the Triangle to play with the rest of us while always being eager to host us in Greensboro.

In our game a few weeks ago, it got down to three of us: myself, Jeff and Jack Daly from Durham. Jack was crushing us both, and Jeff and I had a pathetic handful of chips. Yet neither of us wanted to be first to go out, repeatedly folding hands and encouraging the other "Do it, man. This is your chance. Go all in." By the time Jack finally squashed me, Jeff had the self-satisfied grin that he had played his way into second, even if he only had about five chips in left.

I never wanted to ask him questions about how he was feeling when we were playing because it was clear he was in no mood to dwell on it. Now, I'm glad to have been a part of that escape for him... even if it was only a small one.

I'll definitely miss him.

I played on the N&R softball team with Jeff for six years. He was a great player that always wanted to be involved - ready to help with coaching duties, willing to play in any position needed, always wanting more batting practice or "b.p." and one of the few that showed up for every practice. Even after surgeries, he was always trying to get back on the field as soon as he could. His passion for sports showed through his writing and his personality on the field. We would stand in the outfield and give each other a hard time for missing a catch, the sad fly ball one of us hit or joke about hockey teams — I'd always give him a hard time about Jaromir Jagr leaving my beloved Penguins to go with his Capitols. He taught me the "fine art" of keeping stats at high school football games and I always appreciated the comments he gave on the writing I could do for him. He was always thinking of "the other person" before himself. He was more than a coworker - he was a friend I could stop to chat with in the halls and one of the best teammates I've ever had. If I play softball again this season, I'm asking for #30.

As a former EA (Editorial Assistant) for the News & Record, not only was Jeff my "boss," but also, he was a friend of mines. We were opponents in some of the sports world (i.e., I liked the 'Canes, he liked the Capitals, and he loved his Cavs, I loved my Ramblin Wreck), and it is so sad to hear that my friend is gone. Aien't it something, your hear today, and gone tomorrow? I will always remember the times that I shared with Mr. Carlton. My respects also goes out to his wife, and family. May he rest in peace.

I am saddened by Jeff's death. As a former sports editor at the Reidsville Review and Eden News, I worked side by side with Jeff covering high school sports. He also used me as a stringer in later years for the News & Record. He was always a guy I could sit down with and chew the fat about any sports topic. Both of us shared a great love for high school sports. Jeff was a great friend and a true professional. I for one will really miss him.

Jeff was my cousin, eight years my senior. I have admired him my entire life. When I was a kid I thought he was cool in that general way children always think their teenage relatives are cool. I don't remember ever feeling talked down to by Jeff, which made him all the cooler. When I became old enough to join the Carlton family's epic Thanksgiving Canasta games, I grew to appreciate Jeff's dry sense of humor and his fierce card-playing skills. If he and his brother were on a team together, the rest of us didn't stand a chance. Yet I always hoped that I'd be playing at Jeff's table, because he was the funniest of the lot of us. As an adult I admired him for his ability to discuss anything, be it sports or politics, intelligently and respectfully.
In the last few years, I admired Jeff for his grace and strength. His attitude was amazing in the face of what had to be great pain.
And this past Thanksgiving he still managed to be funniest of the lot of us.
It is heart-warming to see that Jeff was as loved and respected in the Greensboro and journalism communities as he was in our family. I want to send my own thoughts and prayers to everyone who knew and loved Jeff.
He will be missed always.

I met Jeff not long after he first took over the prep sports assignment at the paper and I always enjoyed my conversations with him. He was smart, down-to-earth and always focused on his job.

When scanning the sports page in the mornings, I always looked for his by-line. To me, the events and people Jeff wrote about took on an added significance simply because it was Jeff writing about them.

I hope Jeff's family finds a measure of comfort in reading the wonderful tributes from so many of his friends and colleagues. All of us are fortunate to have known him.

I hesitated to write because I did not know Jeff as closely as many others did who have written. It's bittersweet though today, that regardless of how long you may be acquainted with some people, they manage to leave a marked impact on your life. Jeff was one of those people.

These past two years, it has been a great joy getting to know the man that was Jeff Carlton. While working on and off part-time at the N&R, I got to know a "boss" who consistently made an effort to help you up instead of talk you down. While working directly with him this year stringing hs football, I never realized the battle he was fighting and was floored when I got the news yesterday. He must have really mastered his poker face over the past decade.

I will definitely miss the opportunity to have gotten to know Jeff more. My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

-- David Newton

Oh, what a horrible day. I just saw the news here at The Roanoke Times from Tim Thornton, who formerly worked as I did as the Greensboro News & Record.
My heartfelt sympathies to the Carlton family.

I met Jeff when we both worked at the Danville Register & Bee and later was reunited with him at the News & Record before I moved to Roanoke.

What I remember most about Jeff was his tireless work ethic. He always made one more call, interviewed one more source to always add more context, more information about a story and to make sure he got it right. And he always got it right!

I remember his passion and love for sports. His objectivity, even when writing about his alma mater, the University of Virginia, could never be questioned.

He was such a professional, dedicated journalist, a credit to the profession. Our profession is lesser today without him.

I was working as an election assistant during the previous election when he came in to vote. I didn't know him at the time, but he knew one of the ladies who served as an election official. They had a brief conversation, and afterwards, she told me who he was. At that point, his name rang a bell with me, and ever since, I've looked forward to reading sports stories by him, seeing his name and putting a face to it.

I almost feel like an intruder reading all these wonderful thoughts about Jeff. I wish I would have known him personally. However, I only knew him as one who covered high school sports.

Last year about this time, I realized that high school sports wasn't getting quite the coverage that I was accustomed to. I e-mailed Mr. Robinson and expressed my concern and that is when he told me of Jeff's battle. I realized then that this man behind the headlines was a huge part of why so many parents in our area could wake up in the morning and read about their child's team, that this man was why I could not only read about my son's team but he was a link to all the friends my son had made over the years and we could celebrate in their successes too as he reported on them.

As an avid high school sports fan, I will miss his commitment to make sure that these kids were given the coverage that they deserve. As a parent, I am extremely sad that Jeff will not be here to report on my sons senior baseball season. It was obvious that he was very committed to our kids and for that...this parent is grateful. I only wish I would have let him know how much I appreciated him.

To his family and friends, my prayer is that your wonderful memories of Jeff will help ease the pain that you experience today.

I'm a little late to this wake for Jeff because I wasn't sure exactly what to say about someone I'll never forget. I still don't know what to say as I type this because the emotion, the loss, is still raw. But I owe it to Jeff to post something.

Jeff, more than anyone else I've ever known, had a special ability to connect with people. No matter who they were or how different they were from Jeff, he found a way they were the same and connected in a way that was natural, effortless. He did it with a smile, with a laugh.

He always made me feel connected with him without even trying. Anybody who sat near him in the office knows how many times in the past 8 1/2 years I stood there by his desk talking with him about just about anything.

The conversation was rarely about work, and I used to feel guilty about that sometimes -- like I was somehow corrupting him, distracting him, that I was making him a co-conspirator in cheating the company out of some time. But anybody who knows how hard Jeff worked and how hard everybody in our sports department works, knows that the only people who got cheated were the ones who didn't get to know Jeff, who didn't get to have those totally meaningless conversations with him that, in the end, meant everything.

If you've ever taken a stringer gig from Jeff Carlton, you know that guilty feeling you get because of all the advance info he provides. It's like we owe the man a tagline before we've logged a key stroke.

We owe him a lot more than that. He called me last summer while taking in day baseball in Greensboro. He knew I loved the concept. (Was he rubbing it in or just sharing?) I could just see that Father Mulcahey-looking dude in a Phillies cap, probably scoring the game with his own formulated system and killing a hot dog. He put down his 'dog or his scorebook (or both) to call me. I felt honored. And jealous.

Most topics were fair game with JC. Anyone who has shared a newsroom or stretch of press row with him knows that. There were topics we never breached, though - NL division series sweeps (go Rockies!), fantasy golf strategy (yes, fantasy golf) and cancer.

Who has time for that, when there are kids' stories to tell, angles to uncover and mysteries of minutiae to unearth?

If our work - and play - could carry a tagline, surely it would read: "Jeff Carlton contributed."

Among many of Jeff's beats was with the Greensboro Generals hockey team. As their media and radio guy, I would talk to him pretty much daily. I looked forward to every conversation, because I knew he would do everything in his power to give us some much needed coverage in the paper. But aside from that, I knew every time we'd shoot the breeze for a few minutes about absolutely nothing. Always entertaining, I assure you. He was a consummate pro and treated the Generals like they were the New York Rangers. But as good as he was at his job, he was always a way better person, and as genuine a man as you could be. My deepest sympathies go to Jeff's family, friends and colleagues.

Among many of Jeff's beats was with the Greensboro Generals hockey team. As their media and radio guy, I would talk to him pretty much daily. I looked forward to every conversation, because I knew he would do everything in his power to give us some much needed coverage in the paper. But aside from that, I knew every time we'd shoot the breeze for a few minutes about absolutely nothing. Always entertaining, I assure you. He was a consummate pro and treated the Generals like they were the New York Rangers. But as good as he was at his job, he was always a way better person, and as genuine a man as you could be. My deepest sympathies go to Jeff's family, friends and colleagues.

As sports editor of The Reidsville Review
I spoke with Jeff often and even pretty recently and sit with him covering a few Reidsville football games this season. He never let on, ever, that he was feeling ill. That's what I respected most about him. Regardless of working at newspapers with shared and competing interests, Jeff and I freely swapped scores and information because we figured, 'what the heck.' Jeff will be truly missed and news of his loss Thursday saddened me greatly. His suffering is now over and he is now in a far better place. The News and Record lost a real trooper this week!

I'm very sad to hear the news about Jeff.
I'm a colleague of his at the News & Record, although I'm on the news copy desk, not in sports.
My main fond memory of Jeff is when he and Suzanne brought dinner to my husband and I after the birth of our daughter in 2002.
If I remember correctly, we had brought them a dinner following his first surgery earlier in the year.
But I thought it was kind of them to return the favor, drive to our house, bring us food and visit for a while.
I remember Jeff and my husband (a former sportswriter) talked about all the sports people they both knew. They hit it off.
We had a nice time talking.
I admire Jeff's strength and courage in the face of all he's been through.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Jeff Carlton was simply a decent human being. A solid journalist and a better person.

He had a limitless work ethic and an even stronger code of ethics. Jeff's work was meticulous, thoughtful and thorough. He didn't generate corrections for the newspaper, and he treated high school volleyball with the same respect and integrity as big-time basketball. If he stated a fact or quoted someone, you could rest assured it was accurate. In a nutshell, he did things right.

He leaves a formidable legacy of Triad sports coverage and an even finer one as a person who fought his battle with grace and a quick wit, and who touched a lot of lives. He deserved so much better than the cruel hand he was dealt.

Rest in peace, Jeff. Best wishes to the family through this difficult time.

I'll miss Jeff's laugh most of all. Anything even remotely funny, Jeff would throw his head back and laugh like it was the funniest story he'd heard all day. He was one of those people that made you feel like you were the only person in the world when he talked to you.

The bravery he showed during his illness is something we can all learn from. We were all so lucky to have him in our lives.

Time heals all wounds but the void left by Jeff's passing will never be filled. His family can take comfort knowing that he was such a loved man.

Dear Carlton family,
Because Jeff was a dear Friend,
your cares are my cares, too,
And so, as sorrow fills your heart,
my heart goes out to you...
And though my words cannot begin
to ease the loss you bear,
I only hope it helps, somehow,
to know how much I care.

My Deepest Sympathy

Gloria Taylor
Co-worker at the News & Record

Dear Carlton family,
Because Jeff was a dear Friend,
your cares are my cares, too,
And so, as sorrow fills your heart,
my heart goes out to you...
And though my words cannot begin
to ease the loss you bear,
I only hope it helps, somehow,
to know how much I care.

My Deepest Sympathy

Gloria Taylor
Co-worker at the News & Record

Jeff was my second writing mentor at the News & Record, and was the first person to show me the ins and outs of beat writing. As the preps editor, he allowed me to follow individual sports for a season and considered my opinions in his coverage decisions. Given that I was a college student, and just a part-time writer at that point, it was a huge confidence boost to have another writer give me such respect. Jeff was the first person to make me feel comfortable as a writer, and I will always be thankful for that. He'll be missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family.

The only thing I can add, now that the shock of seeing this news has slightly worn off, is that Jeff was also a Capitals fan who got to see his team make one glorious run.

Those of us who traded locales with him and moved up to Northern Virginia are deeply saddened.

I consider myself a world-class whiner, but in Jeff Carlton, I met my match.

I can't tell you how many times Jeff told me about how ace-king, supposedly a powerhouse in poker, had let him down yet again.

And when it came to fantasy football, Jeff could go toe-to-toe with me when it came to complaining about how his third-round pick (Marc Bulger? really?) was playing like a third-stringer, if he was even healthy enough to play.

The underlying theme of our sour-grapes conversations? On the most trivial of levels, life isn't fair.

Yet on the most important of levels, where life wasn't fair to Jeff, I never once heard him whine.

The last time I got a chance to host a poker game that included Jeff, he moaned about how his seemingly good hands were letting him down. But he never complained about how his left hand was letting him down, making it increasingly difficult for him to deal the cards unbeknownst to the "observant" poker players and journalists gathered around the table.

And on the eve of our fantasy football draft, Jeff complained about his draft position but not about the scary seizure he had just endured that meant he wouldn't be able to drive to the draft.

When Jeff passed away, I couldn't believe it in part because Jeff was still Jeff to the end. I had no idea such a sudden and sobering conclusion was possible and wondered if even Jeff himself knew.

The only hint he gave was a few weeks ago, when I spent the night at his house and he matter-of-factly mentioned that if it didn't look like he was going to make it, he'd like to return to Vegas this summer and play in the World Series of Poker. Then he complained about how his circumstances would make winning money in the event seem like a hollow victory.

The Jeff Carlton I knew was a pessimist about the small stuff, but when it came to things that truly mattered, he was an eternal optimist.

That's why I'm optimistic that Jeff is enjoying eternity right now, a perfect existence where he has nothing to complain about...even though the whine lover in him might miss it just a little bit.

I am too late with this note, but I wanted to add a few words, although so much has been said already.

Jeff was so easy to love. He generously gave you his time, his share of food, or his advice, any time you asked for it.

And most of all he was honest and he genuinely cared. None of his actions were random. He was careful of the effect and chose his actions and words carefully. He was respectful, that way.

He was so easy to talk to, because you could pick a topic, any topic, and he would feel at home talking about it. He was a naturally gifted conversationalist, a witty - witty man, extremely intelligent and very funny.
His work ethic was spotless. We, at the News and Record, were so lucky to have him. You can see from all the people whose careers he influenced, what kind of a role model he was in that respect.

And above it all, I don't believe he bragged enough about himself. So, I hope he'll forgive me (and us), if we're going to do that for him, for as long as we live.

Good bye, Jeff, and rest in peace.

Matching the eloquence of Walter Carlton or Jim Young at Saturday's memorial service is like being Mike Easler in the top of the ninth on April 18, 1987. Mike Schmidt had just hit a three-run homer to lift the Phillies from a 6-5 deficit to an 8-6 lead. It just so happened to be the 500th homer of Schmidt's career. Try following that.
I can't find what Easler did in that plate appearance, but I'll bet Jeff knew it.
Walter likened Jeff's courageous fight with cancer to fouling off pitches. Whenever you foul one off, you stay alive. They can't get you yet.
Jeff ultimately experienced the third strike, and I know how it happened: The umpire was a mid-season replacement, a stand-in for a real umpire who was on vacation. The surrogate had been working in the Class AA Texas League the night before, and he arrived at the park 45 minutes before game time. He hadn't slept. He didn't have the acumen to make the right calls anyway. The 3-2 pitch was outside and low, but it was called a strike.
Injustice is the only way to explain what has happened to our friend.
Following up on Jim's theme, I'll add a few more characteristics of where Jeff is now:
** Steve Jeltz hits .300 and has occasional power.
** That 1987 playoff game with the Islanders? When the replay shows on Jeff's neighborhood satellite system, the Capitals win. Every time.
** Peter Angelos can't black out Washington Nationals broadcasts.
** College football players don't get arrested.
** High school football playoffs are not held up by litigation.
** The seemingly wayward drive always kicks off a boulder and bounces perfectly into the middle of the fairway.
** Something happens good in poker. (I'm not smart enough for the game; therefore, I don't have any good metaphors.)
** Floyd wins the Westminster Kennel Club's top prize.

In the stages of grief, I guess denial is where I've been living for the past couple of days. We've been out of town since Jeff's death, and though I've talked to several people, read his obituary and all of the lovely tributes to this young man, it's just unbelievable that Jeff Carlton is gone.

He gave comfort to people at his most difficult times, with his easy smile and the gleam in his eye. He brought memories to families with his stories. He offered his talent to fellow journalists.

I was at Moses Cone hospital years ago on that first night when Jeff was admitted with those terrible headaches. And even then, as he was being tested, he was joking around, trying to comfort his family and friends who came to see him.

I'm certain he was with everyone at his memorial service on Saturday and that he will be with his family at Monday's service as well. All of us will be sending our thoughts and prayers to them as well. Though he left too soon, he touched everyone he met.

-jbr

I was stunned to hear of the news today that Jeff had passed away last week. As I write this I am overcome with sadness. Jeff and I were good friends in High School, spending a fair amount of time hanging out, playing basketball/tennis, watching movies, and driving up to Baltimore to watch the Orioles. I remember driving down to William and Mary/UVA when we were visiting schools and staying at his brother's dorm. I went to William and Mary while he chose UVA. After our freshman year of college, we lost touch with each other and I feel a bit out of place writing this considering that we haven't spoken to each other in almost 18 years. But friendship is lifelong and I'll always remember him for his quick wit and his love of all things sports.

While some of us go through life working in fields that don't interest us or doing work that we dislike, I am comforted by the fact that Jeff did not compromise his dreams and ambitions and was able to pursue both sports and journalism until his last days. Rest in peace Jeff.

Sorry to hear about Jeff .He was a great sportswriter and a downright nice guy. Glad I got to know and work with him during his time here. He really enjoyed his work covering sports while working for the now retired Sports Editor Al Milley.It was a loss to the Danville Register & Bee staff when Jeff moved on .Jeff now has the best seat in the house and will not never miss a game. Richard T. Davis Staff Photographer-Danville Register & Bee 1978-2007