Jason Michael Stafford

Jason "Jay" Stafford was the kind of person you don't forget.

Born on February 11, 1988, in Omaha, Nebraska, Jay passed away unexpectedly on July 1, 2026, at the age of 38. His time was too short and he is the loss of our life, but the love, laughter, and memories he leaves behind will last a lifetime.

To know Jay was to know someone who could make you laugh when you needed it most. He loved to crack jokes, had an infectious sense of humor, and a way of making every gathering a little brighter just by being there. He was the friend who always had your back, the brother who never let you forget he loved you, even if he showed it by teasing you first, and the gentle giant whose kindness was felt by everyone lucky enough to know him.

Jay believed in being unapologetically yourself. He never cared much about fitting in or impressing anyone. He gave the people around him permission to do the same. He reminded us that life is too short to live for other people's opinions, and that lesson is one many of us will carry with us forever.

He had a heart that matched his larger-than-life personality. If he made a mistake, he owned it. If someone needed help, he showed up. He loved deeply, forgave easily, and made people feel accepted exactly as they were.

Jay loved the things that made him, him. He could spend hours talking about Star Trek, quote The Simpsons at just the right moment, lose himself in Grand Theft Auto or a classic war video game, and happily sit through another mafia movie or an obscure '80s or '90s action film that most people had forgotten. He loved all the nerdy things like conventions, road trips with friends, watching movies and adding commentary, collecting figurines from those same movies. He spent a lot of time with his family, friends, and pets. Those weren't just hobbies, they were the moments that filled his life with joy.

As a kid, Jay could often be found surrounded by Army men and G.I. Joe figures, imagining adventures and dreaming of becoming a police officer one day. While life led him in a different direction, he found a career he genuinely loved in security. For nearly 20 years, he served with dedication and integrity. The people he worked and interacted with became his friends, and their love and respect for him speak volumes about the man Jay was.

If you asked Jay about his relationship with his little sister, he'd probably tell you it was just like Bart and Lisa Simpson's. There was plenty of teasing, plenty of sarcasm, and no shortage of laughs. But underneath all of it was a bond built on unconditional love, loyalty, and a lifetime of shared memories.

Jay also shared a special bond with his two older brothers. Like many brothers, they gave each other a hard time and never missed an opportunity to tease one another, but those moments were always rooted in love. No matter what, Jay knew his big brothers always had their little brother's back, just as he always had theirs.

Jason was a dedicated son and grandson. He lived with his family for many years and did whatever he could to help his parents and grandmother in any way that he could. He helped take of our mother when she needed it the most and had an unbreakable bond with his father that spoke volumes to the way his parents raised him.

The last year brought unimaginable loss to our family. Jay was preceded in death by our beloved mother earlier this year, and by our grandmother in 2025. While it brings comfort to imagine them together again, it doesn't lessen the heartbreak of losing him so soon.

The world is quieter, and has less humor without Jay in it.

There will be fewer jokes that leave everyone shaking their head or laughing until they cry. Fewer conversations about Star Trek lore, ‘80s and ‘90s action movies, like his favorite, Escape from New York. There will be fewer road trips to anime conventions, filled with wild stories - what happens at the convention, stays at the convention, right Jay? And most importantly, there will be fewer hugs from the gentle giant who somehow always made people feel safe.

But there will never be fewer memories.

Every time someone laughs at a Simpsons meme or quote, watches an obscure classic movie that everyone else forgot, hears the opening theme to Star Trek, or chooses to be unapologetically themselves because Jay showed them they could, a part of him lives on.

Jay's greatest legacy isn't found in the years he lived, but in the people he changed simply by being himself. His kindness, humor, loyalty, and enormous heart made the world a better place, and those who loved him are better because they knew him.

Captain James T. Kirk once said, "How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life."

We will honor Jay by remembering the way he lived, with laughter, loyalty, compassion, and the courage to always be himself.

We love you, Jay.

We always will.

A celebration of Jason’s life will take place at a future date to be determined.