Jay enjoyed competition and won many times, but you would never know it because he was so modest and humble. In his senior year of high school, Jay’s life changed when he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and began a personal relationship with Him.

After graduating, many schools offered him golf scholarships and Jay chose Temple Jr. College in Temple, Texas. The team was a national contender with an excellent coach. After Temple, he went to McNeese State in Louisiana, but soon decided to come back closer to home and chose the University of Nebraska. He enjoyed finishing college there, playing against the Big 8 schools. It was at Nebraska where he got very involved in the FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Jay turned Pro right after college, his first job being the assistant golf pro at Lakeshore Country Club under Jim White, an accomplished golfer who had played on the PGA Tour for several years. While working there, Jay won the Nebraska Sectional Match Play Championship. Orange Tree Country Club in Phoenix, Arizona was the next stop in Jay’s career. He then worked at Racine Country Club in Wisconsin before heading back to Arizona as assistant pro at Gainey Ranch Golf Club. Jay’s life changed dramatically again there as he met his future wife, Jennifer, who was also working at Gainey Ranch.

The newlyweds headed back to the Midwest when Jay took his first Head Pro position at Hillcrest Country Club, St. Paul, Minnesota. Two darling boys, Nick and AJ, were added to their family. Jay then served as Head Pro for many years at Dellwood Hills Golf Club, Dellwood, Minnesota. Jay’s last position was Director of Instruction at TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minnesota. Jay loved teaching the game of golf. He began the PGA Junior League program in 2018 and was overjoyed when his team finished in the top two of the PGA National Junior League Tournament.

Other highlights of Jay’s golfing career include breaking several course records, many holes-in-one, qualified for the National PGA Club Pro Championship, qualified for the National PGA Senior Pro Championship, and qualified for a U.S. PGA Senior Open Championship. He left behind a scrapbook started when he was just a boy, which described the layout of golf courses to be played, searching out “sweet” spots and noting: “To my way of thinking, it was a beaut.” Jay had a quick wit, great sense of humor and a fun-loving personality. He was a wonderful coach and mentor both to his golf students and his boys, instilling in them values of honesty, humility and kindness to others. Many pros considered Jay a “Pro’s Pro” because of his work ethic and exemplary demeanor both on and off the golf course. Jay maintained his relationship with the Lord and was preparing to speak before a meeting of golfers to testify about his faith through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes when God called him home. He was a blessing to all who knew him. It is a great comfort to know, beyond a doubt, that Jay is enjoying Heaven and we will meet again someday.