Jeffrey Lynn Horvath, 73, served bravely in the Vietnam Conflict

Obituary for Jeffrey Lynn Horvath

April 11, 1950 – July 26, 2023

Jeffrey Lynn Horvath. age 73, passed away on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, and is now at peace. Jeffrey was born in Batavia, N.Y. on April 11, 1950, the son of the late William and Alice (née Tulley) Horvath.

Jeff graduated from J.I. Case High School, “Class of 1968,” and then served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam Conflict.

Jeff is survived by his brother, Bill (Judy Chiappetta) Horvath; nephew, Christopher Horvath of N.H.; niece, Jennifer Lynn (Ricky) Koerber of Racine; other relatives, and friends.

Services

Private family services for Jeffrey Lynn Horvath will be held with interment at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

A VETERAN DIED TODAY – A TRIBUTE

YES, A VETERAN DIED TODAY. HE SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS AND FACELESS AS SO MANY OF THEM ARE THESE DAYS, WHILE THEY LIVE AND MOVE AMONG US ON THE STREETS OR IN SPECIAL HOUSING… UNNOTICED.

BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME THIS COUNTRY NEEDED “HIM” TO FIGHT THE OPPRESSOR IN A FOREIGN LAND, HE SIGNED UP. THIS PARTICULAR PERSON GLADLY SIGNED UP WITH THE NAVY. INITIALLY, HE WAS EXCITED AND PROUD OF HIMSELF. BUT THIS FEELING WAS SHORT-LIVED ONCE REALITY HIT AND THEY WERE ALL ON BOARD THE GIANT SHIP. THIS SHIP WAS CALLED “THE KITTY HAWK”… THE FIGHTING WAS FIERCE AND CLOSE BY. THEY WERE BOMBING VIETNAM AND BEING BOMBED BY THEM. THEY WERE ON THE UNITED STATES NAVY CARRIER WHERE PLANES WERE TAKING OFF AND LANDING REGULARLY. SOME CRASH-LANDED ON THE SHIP AND SOME CAME BACK WITH MANY INJURED OR DEAD.

SUDDENLY… THERE WAS NOT MUCH TO BE PROUD ABOUT, EXCEPT TO DO YOUR JOB TO THE ULTIMATE AND CARRY ON. AFTER MANY WEEKS, THE MISSION BECAME “WORK AS HARD AND AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND PRAY THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE IT HOME.”

FINALLY, WHEN NIGHT MERCIFULLY ARRIVED, THE ONLY THING HE COULD THINK OF WAS TO GET INTO HIS SMALL BUNK, FALL ASLEEP AND TRY TO FORGET ALL THAT HE HAD WITNESSED DURING THE DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DAYS AND NIGHTS BECAME THE SAME, BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY WITNESSED DURING THE DAY THEY DREAMT ABOUT AT NIGHT. THE LONG NIGHTS WERE OVERFLOWING WITH FRIGHTENING DREAMS. ONE NIGHT, WHEN SEVERAL SAILORS WERE UNABLE TO SLEEP, A FRIEND GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF… IN THE BEGINNING, HE WAS VERY GRATEFUL UNTIL LATER WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THIS BEGAN A NIGHTMARE OF A DIFFERENT KIND. BUT THROUGH IT ALL, HE BRAVELY SERVED HIS TIME AND RECEIVED SEVERAL MEDALS TO PROVE HOW HARD HE WORKED. AND AFTER ALL OF THAT, HE RETURNED HOME TO A “NOT SO GRATEFUL NATION”… SHAME ON US.

BUT HE WAS GRATEFUL TO BE BACK HOME, VERY CONFUSED ABOUT LIFE AND LIVING. HE MADE A LOT OF CHOICES DURING THOSE LONG SAD YEARS… MOST OF THEM, ARE NOT GOOD. AS THE YEARS PASSED AND HIS LIFE CONTINUED A DOWNWARD SPIRAL, HE WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A FAMILY THAT ALWAYS TRIED TO HELP HIM THE BEST THEY COULD. HOWEVER, AFTER MANY YEARS, UNABLE TO LIVE ALONE, EVENTUALLY HE HAD TO GO INTO GOVERNMENT-SUPPORTED FACILITIES (HOMES) WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL HE NEEDED SURGERY AND WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE HE HAD ENDURED THROUGH THESE YEARS.

IN SOME CASES, AS WITH MANY VETS, MOST OF THE ORIGINAL FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE MOVED AWAY OR EVEN DIED. MOM AND DAD AND ONE SIBLING HAVE BEEN GONE FOR YEARS AND WERE NEVER ABLE TO WITNESS THE RECOVERY THEY HOPED WOULD COME BEFORE THEY LEFT THIS EARTH… NOW, THAT COULD NOT HAPPEN, BECAUSE OUR VETERAN DIED TODAY. HE DIED ALONG WITH THE HOPES FOR “BETTER TOMORROWS” WHICH HIS BROTHER AND MANY OTHERS (MARK, HIS CAREGIVER) ALWAYS HOPED WOULD BE IN HIS FUTURE…

YES, A VETERAN DIED TODAY… HIS FUTURE IS IN GOD’S HANDS NOW, AND WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR MERCY, KINDNESS AND A LOT OF LOVE FOR HIM IN HEAVEN. LIKE SO MANY OTHERS WHO GO OFF TO WAR, AFTER IT’S OVER AND THEY ARE DAMAGED, WE WILL NEVER SEE THEIR NAME ON A WALL OF HONOR, WILL WE?

AND YET HE… THEY… SERVED THEIR COUNTRY WITH HONOR, AND ANSWERED THE CALL TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES, GO TO A FOREIGN LAND, LEAVE THEIR COMFORTABLE HOMES AND GO INTO “HARM’S WAY” AS DID SO MANY “BROTHERS IN THE NAVY” THAT HE SERVED WITH. AND WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT OUR DEAREST BROTHER, JESUS (WHO REMAINS WITH US HERE TODAY), JESUS WILL JUDGE HIM FAIRLY… BECAUSE JESUS KNOWS ALL ABOUT SACRIFICE.

DEAR VETERAN, REST NOW, FINALLY REST IN PEACE, REST IN THE COMFORTING PEACE OF GOD AND LOVE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO END. WE WILL REMEMBER YOU FOREVER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE,
BILL AND JUDY HORVATH

Obituary and photo of Jeffrey Lynn Horvath courtesy of Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home.