With great sadness we regret to announce that Jeffrey Winter (Jeff Port) passed away peacefully at home after a 10-month battle with esophageal cancer. In his final hours he was surrounded by his children’s laughter, his wife, his parents and sister, and close friends.

Jeff was born and raised on Winterport Farm. He grew up caring for animals and helping grow, pick and sell melons. All through his life he was most at home in the outdoors and had an insatiable thirst for adventure – in every season, in every environment. He was filled with curiosity and enjoyed learning about the world. Jeff had an incredible brain filled with sports trivia, historical facts, geography, world events, and at one point he memorized every country’s flag in the world.

He attended Ione Elementary, Ione Junior High School and Argonaut High School. After graduating, he attended Stanford University and majored in history. The highlight of his Stanford years was being a member of the Stanford Band (LSJUMB) where he traveled around the country, marched in the Rose Bowl Parade and made lifelong friends. He then obtained a master’s degree at the University of California, Davis. He studied history with a focus on land and water use in the American West. While in Davis he also learned the historic game of townball which he introduced to the family. The ridiculous game became a hilarious Thanksgiving family tradition loved by everyone 8 to 80 years old.

Upon Jeff’s death, he was just shy of 15 years sober and was passionate about sobriety. He never turned down a request from a friend or acquaintance to use him as a resource, no matter how distant they were. In 2010, Jeff’s love for the outdoors led him to a job at REI where he became an expert in footwear, backpacks and all types of gear. He worked for many years in Berkeley, where he met and fell in love with his wife, Anina. Jeff and Anina most enjoyed travel – road tripping to national parks, backpacking, skiing and finding all the best food everywhere they went. While at the farm they had two daughters, Charlotte and Juniper, and Jeff became a stay-at-home dad, a role he thrived in and enjoyed more than any other. Jeff, Anina and their daughters were about to move to their dream home in Truckee when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Jeff is survived by his wife Anina (Middleton) Winter and his daughters Charlotte Winter (3) and Juniper Winter (1). He is also survived by his sister Carina Bassin and brother-in-law Elia Bassin; his niece Wrenna Bassin; his nephew Arlo Bassin; and his parents Dan and Susan Port.

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