East Pierce firefighter ‘just loved life.’ Wife, long-time friend reflect on memories
Jeff Conover had a knack for making people laugh.
There was a time he, his wife and a group of friends went on vacation and stayed in a house that had a private pool. He told his wife he’d jump in the pool, throw a pair of spare swim trunks on the deck, say “let’s get this party started” and pretend he was naked.
“He did it, and everybody just stopped in their tracks and started cracking up laughing because they knew my husband,” Tracy Conover said. “If you weren’t having a good day, you would by the time he was done with you.”
Jeff Conover was part of East Pierce Fire & Rescue for over 20 years. He started his career with the Sumner Fire Department before the department merged with East Pierce about 2008.
He died on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from a heart attack. He was 45. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter and grandson. He is also survived by his father and three brothers.
Jeff Conover was born on June 24, 1977. He grew up in downtown Puyallup and attended Karshner Elementary School. He also went to Aylen Junior High and graduated from Puyallup High School.
He attended Bates Technical College and obtained a degree in fire service. After college, he worked at a fast-food restaurant and had a construction gig. He also volunteered at a local fire department.
Jeff Conover wanted to be a firefighter ever since he was a child, Tracy Conover said. She doesn’t know why, but her husband “just knew” that was the career he wanted to pursue.
The couple met in 1999. They got married in 2003. They first bought a house in McKenna just east of Yelm. They moved to Bonney Lake a few years after they had their daughter in 2005. The family now resides in Cle Elum.
The couple loved to travel. They visited the Dominican Republic and Hawaii and had plans to go to Egypt, Tracy Conover said.
Jeff Conover also liked to scuba dive, so much so that he tried talking his wife into becoming a scuba diver. She eventually surprised him with her scuba diving certification months after his attempts.
“I think we got in eight dives before he died,” Tracy Conover said. “Those are some of our best memories — just being together on a beach.”
Long-time family friend Dan Johnson said Jeff Conover was like a brother to him. They’d known each other since middle school. They were “running buddies” during physical education classes and attended each other’s weddings years later.
Johnson said he and Jeff Conover used to have “man camps” with a few other friends, during which they’d camp in the the woods, grill food, watch movies and share stories around a campfire, Johnson said.
“After a couple of days, we’d be pretty ripe,” Johnson said, referring to the lack of shower facilities.
Retired East Pierce firefighter Greg Reinke said he worked with Jeff Conover a few times and noticed he always had a smile on his face. He was always willing to help, and he was the nicest person he met, Reinke said.
“He loved life. He loved his job. He loved his family. He loved his faith,” Tracy Conover said. “He just loved life.”
