There is, in my opinion, no way to make a tribute page without it sounding trite. Especially this tribute page, especially since there were many who knew Jeff far better than I. Still, as the keeper of the Spud Lore (and website), this duty falls to me. I can only hope others will wish to contribute their memories as well… for there were many who knew the Prophet, and I would hazard to say we were all blessed by his presence, however it manifested.
Having come late to the Spud (I was in time for the Birth, but missed many of the campground-related antics), I knew Jeff only in passing, but I counted him a friend. He even took me on my first (and only) motorcycle ride. There will never be a better Pan the Pagan Love God, and I know as long as I live, I’ll think of him every time I hear an ocarina.
Go with the Spud, Jeff. May you be at peace.
– Meghan Brunner
First Knight of the Spud
Founder of the Condimentarians
It has been suggested that in his honor, those who follow the Potato lift a spud in Jeff’s honor on May 12th (his birthday) and December 1st (the day of his death)
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Joe Kelly writes:
Unable to grasp just how profoundly and truly loved he was, unable to believe that he was truly a good man,
Jeffrey Daniel Kelly, A brother, a son, a friend, a genius,
the Prophet of the Potato, took his own lifein hte last week of November, 2004.
I will always love you my brother.
I will forever miss you
***
Beth writes:
Jeff Kelly, The God Pan, the Potato Prophet, is dead. He left this world, seeking the wider body of life, at the beginning of December.
Good Night, Sweet Prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest…
I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
~ Jack London ~
There was more to Jeff Kelly than any other human being I know: more vigor, more laughter, more adventure and excitement… more of everything. Clearly what none of us understood was that there was more pain as well.
Jeff’s inner life was an astonishingly broad, stark and beautiful landscape, with all manner of terrain – much of it rocky and more difficult for him to navigate than any of us knew. Near the end of his journey, though, he had discovered what made him wonderful, and was able to find a way to share that with more people than he ever could have known. We will all be forever grateful to have known the bright, mercurial comet of a man who blazed through all of our lives and left us altered in ways we have yet to discover.
He was so utterly amazing that the terrible pain we feel now, the lifetime of missing him was worth the time he was here to bless our lives. I give my sorrow to him freely.
Let not your grief be measured by his worth, for then your sorrow will have no end.
-Shakespeare
Then Almitra spoke, saying, “We would ask now of Death.”
And he said:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
– Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
***
Mr. Wiggly writes:
Listening to The Prophet form a religon based on a mis-inturpitation of a sign can lead any one after many a beer to belive Hell thats a great Idea.
The Gods Only Know what kind of havoc you are causing already in that great camp ground in the sky, but at least ya got the rest of us Evil-No-Goodnicks a slot near ya so we may drink till we cant walk and free the pigs in the petting zoo.
***
Mr. Wiggly writes:
Hmmmmm, what to tell and where to begin? , I first met Jeff at the Minn Ren-Faire In 1993 It was my 6th or 7th year there and his first time doing that show, He was camped next to Fred the Fire eater also known as Mephisto. That was the Year also of the Birth of his great Potato. Jeff I remeber as i was heading over to Freds camp came bouncing out of his camper truck took One look at me and said “Sir You Must be Mr Wiggly, Ive heard alot about you, and we need to Drink.” That truly was the begining of probly my best season to any ren faire that ive ever had. We soon began causing havok all over the site both on and off hours Him with his connections to site crew and myself for a penchant for mischief. One drunken night he got a hold of a cheery picker and I had a cut out of Macully Culkin made of cardboard (DOnt ask How I got that or where) we decided that the best place for macully was the top of the highest building on the Mn Faire site, with jeff’s driving and controling the machine and my drunken bravado He was attached then to the top of Bad Manor over looking the feild towards front gate Wich led to us after placing him up there to basically laugh so hard we had to lay down on the ground (being drunk and doing dangerous stuff with jeff seemed to be our on going motto).
But that wich i mention above is just the tip of the Iceberg of all that we had done, and there is so much more, That please just ask and I’d be happy to tell you be it our adventures from the beging, to the forming of the evil no goodniks, to our pranks while doing other ren faires all over the country, Just ask and Ill be happy to fill in the area;s that are more then likely unknown.
Oh as to the Identity of the Au gratin One that is me, as I told Jeff ” A Tuber is not a Basis for a religion, Though Vodka Aint bad and a Good start though.” and the Motto that i had for jeff written on his Wooden Potato (Long Lost some where on the road) Cognito Ergo Spud—- I think therefore I Yam
Ask what ever ya want Im sure He would’ve had me tell it anyway
Dan AKA Mr Wiggly
***
Jes writes:
I wanted to share my memories of Jeff. I met Jeff 3 years ago. He came to the City Auditorium looking for Murry Ross and he helped me set lights for my show. I got to know Jeff several months later when he and Beth appeared with Jonathan at Rocky Horror. My last memory of Jeff is him in his top hat telling me how beautiful he and Beth thought I was. Jeff has saved my life from the other side more than once. Whenever I feel myself slipping into depression I remember the concequences of death and Jeff.
To Jeff Kelly, Wherever He May Be!
jes
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Another tribute page can be found here.