Jeffry Anastasi Poulos, born on May 28,1954, he passed away suddenly, July 12, 2024, from a heart attack.
Jeff was the eldest of three boys born to John Poulos and Jane Conway Taylor raised in California’s Central Valley, in the town of Ripon, He attended Modesto High School and graduated with the class of 1972. After high school, he moved to Oregon and enrolled at Oregon State University, graduating with a degree in Physical Education and Kinesiology. He, his wife and their young daughters moved back to Manteca, California in1985, and he began teaching Science at East Union High School. There he was able to do his favorite thing; coach. He coached soccer and he loved it so much. He was always his best self on a field leading a team. He led his teams through many championship seasons.
Jeff earned his Masters’ degree in Education Administration in from the University of La Verne, and transitioned from teaching to administration as Assistant Principal at Los Banos High
School. He continued this work at Escalon High School, and then taught science at Delhi High School. After he divorced, he moved out of the Central Valley to Sonoma County. In 2005 Jeff met Ellen, his future wife, and moved to Alma de Luna goat dairy in Sebastpol. He was teaching Science at Rancho Cotate High School, but also took time to help with 4-H activities, county fairs, even traveling to the National Dairy Goat Show in Spokane with we four women, his dually, our Lance camper and a trailer load of milking goats. Jeff spent his last two years of teaching at Rohnert Park Middle School where he was the woodshop teacher, a role he often said had become his favorite teaching experience. He was a teacher and coach who truly made a difference in the lives of his students.
Jeff joined the Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Department, his dream job, where he made good friends and found a new purpose. He was always ready for a fire call. Jeff retired from teaching in 2011 and finally had time. He was an excellent marksman and outdoorsman whose hobbies included camping, fishing, and hunting on trips with family and friends. One of his favorite spots was Nevada’s Smoke Creek Desert, Jeff and Ellen married in 2012. After selling the dairy in 2015, they embarked on a 36 day road trip around the United States. They also enjoyed their travels to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and two memorable trips to Costa Rica.
Jeff is survived by his daughters Meghan Ellis, Kayla Poulos, and Shannon Roberts; his wife Ellen Poulos and her children Rachel Jones, Rebecca Alvarado, Lily Ayala, and Daniel Ochoa; his brothers Otis Hackett, and Joe Poulos, 10 grandkids and his well-loved, extended family.
A Celebration of Life will be held August 10, 2024, 12:30 p.m., at the Bloomfield Firefighter’s Community Hall, 6600 Bloomfield Road, Bloomfield, CA 94952.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Saturday, August 3, 2024
