RIP Art Jefferson
Monday, July 16, 2012 | 4:10 PM
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PrintThe motocross world lost a very dear friend this past weekend when Chicopee, Massachusetts Art Jefferson passed away suddenly in Rochester, Minnesota from a stroke. A husband and father of two, Art traveled to each round of the Nationals as the Paddock Concierge. He was 52 years old.
Blessed with the ability to always see the positive and bring out a smile in everyone around him, Art was an extraordinary man who has touched the lives and hearts of everyone he met.
Jefferson had perfected the art of smiling, and you could always count on seeing a grin spread across his suntanned, welcoming face. He was never in a bad mood and would always greet you with a joke or a pleasant thought. That smile was effortless. And while Art has left us prematurely, he spent his life showing us all how to smile and encouraging us to keep a positive outlook.
Just being around Art was enough to put you at ease. He’d always have a story about his two beautiful daughters and his incredible wife. He was a family man, and he was proud of them all; they, in turn, supported him through all his years traveling with the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross family.
Art was two years from retirement from the electrical union in Massachusetts, where he worked as a foreman installing traffic lights. Both of his worlds—the union and moto—were direction-oriented. He spent his life showing people which way to go. His was the first face any member of the moto industry would see when arriving at a National. In his eyes, his primary job was simply to make everyone happy, and he had a way of making everyone—from factory teams to privateers in box vans—feel like they had the best in all the pits. He loved zipping around on his blue Zuma and making everyone start their day with a smile.
The motocross industry is a big, crazy, dysfunctional family in a lot of ways. We all get to “live the dream” and participate in the sport we love, and we’re surrounded by the most supportive coworkers, friends, and family members. Art Jefferson, more than anyone, truly loved every bit of this life and this family. This was his dream, the “job” he would keep long after his official retirement.
Art’s wishes were to have a portion of his ashes spread at his home track of Southwick. MX Sports will have a quiet ceremony with close friends and family to fulfill his wishes at the Southwick National. While his ride here with us is over, his time in our hearts will never end.
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so sad, R.I.P.
A little last view of Art can be seen on the Driven to Ride Epsode 13 from about 2:00 to 2:30 as he helps the guys get a good pit spot while on his Yuma.
RIP, best to Art's Wife and Daughters......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYnmdKdwGdA&feature=relmfu
Kind of ironic that the only time i`ve heard of or seen Art was the same video clip carver was mentioning. I thought to myself that this fella was somebody of great importance in the race industry to have the "Driven guys" escorted personally. My condolences to the family, Godspeed Art. And to everyone else, tell the ones important to you, how much you love them, because you just never know.
Amazing that a great guy lives such a short life. It's just not fair sometimes.
Had a chance to meet Art at the Hangtown and Lakewood rounds when i was interning with a team. Real awesome guy, sad to seem him gone. My condolences go out to his family.
Art was a true friend and greeted you with a smile at every event. He truly is "moto family"
Will miss you Art, rip my friend, happy trails
When my wife this morning she heard some guy named Art died, I was thinking who I knew that was my age or older. Even thou I knew Art he for sure was not the one that I would have ever come up with. For sure on the way to the track you knew that the guy you needed to see first so you could get parked was Art. But that was not the main reason you wanted to see him, it was for sure because you knew there was going to be that smile and he always had time to greet you and talk. If he was to busy right then he would come and find you later. So why would God take this guy now? Well the only thing I can come up with is, that DC sr. was having some big parking problem up there and he needed the best man there is to get the job done. From the wife and I God speed. You will be missed my friend.
Wow - way too young, and a big loss at no matter what age. RIP, Art.
Words cannot express the immense amount of emotions running through our family. We are extremely grateful that he was able to fullfill his life long dream and touch so many lives with his suntanned smiling face, scrunched down white socks and black shoes, and his signature oakley sunglasses. OH, and his blue Yuma. To know that he spent his time away from us, with people who care so much about him makes this tragic loss a little bit easier. The Moto Family has been a part of our lives for so many years, we can not imagine it without him. We hope to continue carrying his dream of working with this amazing Moto Family, by making sure the Golf Cart Girls continue to participate with the nationals. After all, what is the Southwick National without the Golf Cart Girls?!?!
Art was a welcomed man in the Spring Creek pro pits. It was always a pleasure spending time working and talking with him when he came to town. Even though we spend a short amount of time, one weekend a year with this group………we still build friendly bonds that will last forever. Art was a great guy! He was a wealth of knowledge and very understanding. Art had respect for everyone and everyone respected Art. We will miss you friend. Our sympathies to his family and friends. The moto racing community lost a great man.
Spring Creek Pro Pit Security Crew
Art was one in a million..... a great man with a difficult job. Always smiling, he could assess the situation and put the parking puzzle together all while making us feel special. Our thoughts go out to his family.
Art, my dad and I heard about this on Saturday at southwick before our race Sunday..my dad was almost speechless. he still talks aboit you and him racing together and how awesome of a guy you are. you and him were good friends and he would like your family to know that he is so sorry for your loss.
you hear people say that "so and so was a great person" but Art truely was. never once have we seen him in a bad mood or anything but smiling or joking around. you were an awesome dude, and you did have the ability to make people feel good any time they spoke to you. rest in peace Art
Art & I work for the same company on opposite coasts. His Republic Family was truly saddend by the news that Art had passed. Although I did not have the opprotunity to know Art well, we did discuss getting together at Pala last year or having him come out for Anaheim 1 simply because we felt like our passion for Motocross should be shared. I am truly saddend to know that I have missed that opprotunity. Godspeed Art and from all of us at Republic ITS, our condolences to his family and the Motocross community which I know he loved.
Art & I work for the same company on opposite coasts. His Republic Family was truly saddend by the news that Art had passed. Although I did not have the opprotunity to know Art well, we did discuss getting together at Pala last year or having him come out for Anaheim 1 simply because we felt like our passion for Motocross should be shared. I am truly saddend to know that I have missed that opprotunity. Godspeed Art and from all of us at Republic ITS, our condolences to his family and the Motocross community which I know he loved.
This extremely hit us guys (and office staff ladies) very hard last weekend to say the least. Artie wasn't just another technician, he was a friend, teacher (very good one) and even if he was in a horrible mood (on quite a few occasions), you could turn it around by asking him about something he was passionate about (his family, motocross and bowling to say a few) and that signature smile that everyone speaks about would light up the room. I personally haven't known A.J. for very long ( around 5 years or so) but I loved to learn from him. When given the chance, he would always take the time and explain something and make you do it yourself so you wouldn't forget it. One of my most memorable moments at Republic is when we were working out of town. We worked very hard all day and after work, we'd have a few beers together - Artie was an awesome cook as well to say the least! He has touched our lives in so many ways and he will always have a special place in all of us that were part of his short life. R.I.P. Artie.... Love you man!
RIP for a guy who had a positive impact on many lives.
How truly blessed I am to be the Southwick MX-338 announcer over the past 15 years. I have met and gotten to know so many wonderful people, but few that compare with Art. A true gentleman with a genuine smile, a "salt of the earth" kind of guy. I know you were with us on Sunday when I called for a moment of silence, you will always be remembered and never forgotten by your NESC motocross family.
Randy Simpson
Not sure what to say, as yes he still had a lot going for him. We live we die. My prayers go out to his Family and close friends. I wish I had knew him but that does not matter. Ride in Piece! Art GOD Bless.
I grew up with Art in Chicopee Mass. He lived 6 houses down from me. Art was one of the older kids on the street and we all looked up to him. Always positive, calm and willing to help and guide us younger kids. We were fortunate to have acres of woods behind our homes and with Art's help, we turned those woods into a motocross track. Art built the jumps, banked the turns and got many of us into the sport. Everybody respected Art and he always led by example. I have great childhood memories of Art (dirt bikes, baseball, building models...) and the way he helped and guided us way back when. From all of the posts I have read, it is clear that he kept helping others throughout his life. That's just who he was and it never left him. I lost contact with Art after moving away and just last year, we connected via email and started planning a reunion in Milville. As it turned out, I had some close friends who went to Milville all the time and offered to take me down when Art was in town. I also learned over the years that these same friend's were big fans of fellow Chicopee native, John Dowd. I had not seen John since high school but thought it would be great if I could somehow bring all of these parties together in Milville. I brought it up to Art and the next thing I knew, he had arranged the whole thing with John and soon I would see my old buddy and my Minnesota friends would meet their motocross hero. Unfortunately, I had another trip conflict with the Milville trip and I never made it down. However, Art went out of his way to assist my friends down at the track, introduced them to John and provided a behind the scenes pit tour. They said Art could not have been any nicer or more gracious. I wasn't surprised. I really regret not making it down to Milville that weekend but feel blessed to have known Art and to have reconnected with him after almost 30 years. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Art passed way too soon but obviously left a lasting legacy that his family can be proud of. Rest in peace buddy.
This was our first year at the pivateer pro ranks. Art was the first official we met which made our experiences even more better. There was no better feeling than knowing you were going to be greeted by a great person. Thank you for the opportunity of getting to know you in such a short time my friend. You'll be greatly missed. We wish your family the best.
DUDE! that was how i was introduced to him. and if you new him he loved being dude. i could call this guy at any time and he would pick up. he taught me alot about the job and was a great teacher gonna miss ya. two on homey!
I got to meet Art at Red Bud this year when my friend Chad and I ran gate 8 in the pro pits. He was one guys you like right away. He did tell us storys about his daughters and a couple of others.Wishing the Jefferson family love and prayers. GATE8ERS. [SKULLAGAN AND DEEMEN]
To: the Jefferson Family and his friends. I'm saddened to have just learned of the loss of Art. I grew up just down the street from Art and as a kid I can remember Art racing around the woods on his motorcross bike with the rest of the neighborhood kids. As others previously stated he was always smiling, just an all around great guy! Art will be sadly missed. Your family will be in our thoughts and prayers. The Page family.