United in Grief: Support Kim after tragic loss of Jeff Cleys

This story is one of love and heartbreak... but it deserves to be told.

Our mother, Kim Spence, lost the love of her life, Jeff Cleys, on June 6, 2025, in a tragic and unexpected way. She and Jeff had been together for over 20 years. You would never see one without the other. They were best friends and true soul mates. On Easter this year, they surprised us and Jeff's daughters (our stepsisters) to tell us they were finally getting married!! Everyone was counting the days. Friends and family came to town. We even took our mom out for a mini-bachelorette party the Wednesday before. Bachelorette SASH and all! Jeff got a real kick out of that! Thursday, we arrived at the location where they planned to marry. It was at a ski jump in Fox River Grove, IL, one that our grandfather helped work on. Friends and family all came by to help set up for the big event the next day. Jeff was in his happiest moment, seeing everyone come together for their love-especially having his children and stepchildren together. It was a perfect day! He was known for never being afraid to show his emotions; these moments brought him to tears.

On June 6, 2025, the big day was upon us. We wanted to get to our mom's house early to help her get ready, take obligatory pictures, and savor the moment. As soon as we walked in, the shower was on, and a younger cousin was asking to use the restroom. My mom popped the lock in hopes of asking how long Jeff had, only to find him sitting on the shower floor, unresponsive. While she called 911, Angela and Ashley began CPR until EMS arrived. The paramedics worked on him for over 30 minutes, but unfortunately, his heart never restarted. What was supposed to be the best day of their lives turned into the worst. She had to say goodbye to her best friend, love of her life, on the day of their wedding. We will never forget their final moments together. It is clear they loved each other to the very end.

What our mom did next was beyond inspirational; a true testament to her strength and devotion to Jeff. She knew what this day meant to him. Not only, were they working on this for weeks, he was so happy to see everyone together. She wanted to honor him. So, she requested the party continue that day. She put on her wedding dress and turned their celebration of love into a celebration of life for Jeff. We are in constant awe of how she made it through that day.

Having to say goodbye this soon was not how she planned their story to go. Jeff was more than just a devoted partner; he was a PROUD father, grandfather, friend, brother, uncle, son, and so much more. He had a larger-than-life personality. He loved hard, worked hard, and played hard. A skilled electrician, he enjoyed helping others, often only accepting a small slice of cake instead of payment for the elderly he assisted. To say he will be very, very missed is an understatement. https://www.willowfh.com/obituary/JeffreyJohn-Cleys

Now, comes the reason for our GoFundMe. Jeff was the primary provider for both my mom and him. She cared for him, including his daily peritoneal dialysis, but also has her own health issues. She has been unemployed for several years but continued to support him in the home and with his medical needs. However, over the last several months before his death, he had many medical complications, hospital visits, and a shoulder replacement surgery which impacted his ability to work. This caused money to be tight for some time and debts were accumulated, especially in anticipation of their wedding.

Complicating matters further, our mom is ineligible to collect any of his death benefits from social security; despite the fact they were married 5 days before the actual ceremony in the courthouse. The law requires 12 months of marriage. Now, my mom is facing mounting bills, debts, funeral expenses (that were graciously loaned by a friend Jimmy White), and trying to stay in their home Jeff and her worked so hard on with an acute loss of income. She was very resistant to the idea of any help, but we know our community is strong and has her back. We are asking for support from those who know and loved Jeff, but also my mom. Any amount would help.

My mom always said they were never rich in money but rich in life as they loved each other so deeply, had a beautiful family, with children, grandchildren, many great friendships, and would give the shirt off their back for anyone. We want to honor our mom and Jeff to ensure all debts and bills are paid, including the funeral costs and help keep her in her home. The money will also help get her on her feet while she sorts out the details of life and obtaining new source income. We know taking care of our mom is what he would want us to do.