Dwight Devon Jefferies, 53, East Stroudsburg, Pa., departed this life Dec. 11, 2009, at VNA Hospice House in East Stroudsburg. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sheila (Jordan) Jefferies.

Born April 26, 1956, in Gaffney, he was the son of the late James Franklin Jefferies Sr. and late Lessie Mae (Graham) Jefferies. He attended the public schools of Cherokee County and was a graduate of Gaffney High School. Early in life he accepted Christ and became a member of the Dunton United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the United Methodist Men.

Dwight was a jack of all trades who loved to tinker, create and fix things. He mastered many complex home improvement and mechanical projects and he made lots of friends along the way. He never met a stranger and always extended a helping hand to friends and neighbors. Dwight’s kind heart and giving spirit endeared him to everyone he met. He worked odd jobs from an early age and after high school moved to Englewood, N.J., where he was employed as a freight forwarder at Aeromet Inc. and Tommie Tippie Playskool, and as a maintenance coordinator at Environmental Hydraulics.

It was on the eve of the Challenger space shuttle incident that he was introduced to Sheila Jordan Miller by a close mutual friend, Diane Smith, and on Oct. 4, 1986, they were united in marriage and have spent 23 wonderful years working together as supportive partners. They returned to Gaffney in 1987, where Dwight worked at J&S Masonry as a brick mason apprentice and as a sanitation worker for the City of Gaffney Department of Sanitation. In support of his wife’s career, the next move was to Huntington, W.Va., in 1992, where he worked as a fleetsman for the Ohio River Terminal Company. They relocated again to Pennsylvania in 1996 and have lived in East Stroudsburg since that time.

In addition to his wife, Sheila, he left cherished loving memories to three daughters, Lyntonya Studylance of Gaffney, Jennifer Jefferies of Englewood, N.J., and Cristal Miller of Atlanta, Ga; three sisters, Catherine Graham, Andra Akridge and Wanda Jefferies, all of Englewood; seven brothers, James Franklin (Virginia) Jefferies Jr. of Charlotte, Quintin Jefferies of Englewood; Shelley (Anita) Jefferies, Donny (Rosalyn) Jefferies, Paul (Vanessa) Jefferies, Gregory (Teresa) Jefferies and Anthony Jefferies, all of Gaffney; two grandchildren, Christopher and Jaylen Crenshaw of Englewood; his special extended family, the Hunters of New York City; and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and many friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three siblings, Sarah Phillips, Walter Eric Jefferies and Helena Taylor.

There will be a viewing Wednesday, Dec. 16, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Home, 401 N. Fifth St., Stroudsburg, Pa. There will be an additional viewing Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6-8:30 p.m. at Eternity Funeral Home, 129 Engle St., Englewood, N.J.

Services will be held Friday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m. at Eternity Funeral Home, Englewood, followed by burial in the Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, N.J.

The family requests that memorial remembrances be made to the VNA Hospice of Monroe County, 502 Independence Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301; or the American Cancer Society, RR No. 13, Box 2138, Stroudsburg, PA 18360.