Colleagues, friends remember Jeff Moyle
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG WriterCHASSELL TOWNSHIP - Friends and colleagues say Jeff Moyle will be remembered as a man who lived life to the fullest.
Moyle, 30, died Sunday as a result of a parasailing accident in Chassell Township.
The eldest son of Denise and Tom Moyle, Jeff was president and CEO of Moyle Construction & Development Inc., with offices in Houghton and Marquette.
Kevin Geshel, director of development for Moyle Real Estate & Development and spokesperson for the family, said in Moyle's short period as president, he brought the $80-million company to a high level of success.
"The company has done extremely well under Jeff's charge," Geshel said. "We are flourishing, and Jeff has had a lot to do with that."
Recent projects under Moyle's direction included the Walmart Supercenter expansion and construction of the Razorback Centre mall and Country Inn and Suites, all along the M-26 corridor in Houghton.
"You could throw a rock anywhere in that direction from up there and hit one of our projects," Geshel said. "Everyone can see the positive impact the company has had on the community, and that had a lot to do with Jeff."
Geshel said Moyle took to heart any compliments or criticism he received.
"He was very proud of all of the projects he was involved with," Geshel said. "He lived life large."
Moyle also had a passion for racing, from personal watercraft racing to snowmobile races. For the last 18 months, Moyle raced rally cars for Moyle Racing U.S.A.
Michael Yarroch, Moyle's rally car co-driver, said Moyle came to the sport like he did anything else: wanting to learn as much as he can as quickly as he could.
"Even though he'd been doing it just over a year, he was definitely very passionate about it," Yarroch said. "He came into it, learned quickly and excelled rapidly in the sport."
Moyle's goal was to participate in the X Games in Los Angeles, Calif., a dream he fulfilled this summer. A misfortune in practice kept him from competing, but that didn't stop him from enjoying himself, said Moyle Racing Mechanic Karl Seidel.
"During practice, he landed pretty hard on a jump and did the motor in," Seidel said. "He was pretty bummed about that at first, but said later that it was great just to be able to go out there."
Yarroch said the camaraderie of rally racing fueled Moyle's passion.
"It's a fairly tight community, where you see the same people at different races," he said. "You really get to know one another, and Jeff loved the people he met there."
Moyle was most looking forward to the Lake Superior Performance Rally to be held next month in Houghton.
"He loved the Pro Rally," Yarroch said. "He knew the roads. It was home."
Moyle admired Ken Block of Subaru Racing, who was also fairly new to racing and the co-founder of DC Shoes, a successful skateboard shoe and apparel company.
"He saw something of himself in Ken, a businessman like himself who was into extreme sports," Seidel said.
Yarroch said he would miss Moyle's lively spirit, his dedication to extreme sports and his willingness to try new things.
"He's going to be missed in the rally community," Yarroch said. "It was an honor to be in the car with him."
Moyle is survived by his wife, Kim, and their 10-month-old daughter, Gracie.
Visitation is scheduled for 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Ignatius Church in Houghton. A Mass of Christian Burial is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
