Jeffrey Harrington Foote

Jeffrey Harrington Foote, 84, of Westville, Illinois passed away peacefully at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois on October 5, 2024.  Jeff and his siblings grew up in front of the camera and microphone entertaining Channel 3 viewers with the family’s variety show “Footenotes with Dick” and later “Foote Family Folio”.   Jeff graduated from Mahomet High School in 1958 where he played basketball, football and golf.   

Before pursuing a career in music, Jeff was a golf pro at Lake of The Woods Golf Course in Mahomet, Illinois as well as at Bureau Valley Country Club in Princeton, Illinois.  Jeff received his PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.   Along with his passion for singing he played in the group Medicare 7,8 or 9 Dixieland Cooperative Band in the 1960’s. He later taught vocal performance at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan for 25 years. During that time, he was a soloist with the International Chorus of Cincinnati and performed throughout Europe. In addition, he authored The Vocal Performer, a textbook used by various universities. 

Jeff enjoyed a scotch dram alongside a pint while reciting colorful limericks after a round of golf with friends and loved to cook.  Jeff looked forward to football season every year and betting a buck with his sister Nancy and buddy Bob Lindahl.  Jeff was quick to correct your grammar and also answered by the name “Doc”.  Jeff was passionate about Scotland, Robert Burns and haggis, which was evidenced by his 15 trips to the country.  He loved his family, most of all his children.  

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents Bruce Rutledge Foote and Doris Crewe Foote, his brother Roger Joseph Foote and sisters Nadine Margaret (Foote) Moorhead and Gaile (Foote) Parks.  He is survived by his siblings Eileen (Foote) Rexroad and Nancy (Foote) Phalen and his children Anna Christine Foote and Joseph Hamilton Foote.  Private burial to be arranged at Woodlawn Cemetery in Urbana, near his beloved Urbana Country Club golf course and where he enjoyed many bike rides as a child.     

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