Jeffrey J. Nilles

Jeffrey J. Nilles, 63, of Frederick Rd., Madison, NY, passed away Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at the Oneida Healthcare Center.
He was born March 20, 1956 in Southampton, NY, a son of Francis and Janet Kolenda Nilles and was a graduate of Hampton Bay High School. Jeff proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam Conflict from 1974 until his honorable discharge in 1980. On May 3, 1986, he married Jill L. Scott in Hamilton, a union of love and friendship for over 32 years. Jeff was the Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Nilles Ford in Hamilton and was a Senior Master Technician for the Ford Motor Company. He and Jill also own and operate Country Hearts Bed & Breakfast in Madison.
Jeff’s heart always shone with an over-abundance of kindness toward those he loved, as well as those he met on a daily basis. He truly enjoyed interacting with people.
Jeff was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Hamilton where he served as an usher. He was a 39-year member, Past Post Commander and former Treasurer of the American Legion Post # 1556 in Madison and a member of the NYS Rifle and Pistol Association. He loved the outdoors, enjoying gun and bow hunting, fishing and motorcycling. One of his passions was scuba diving and he assisted in teaching the sport at Colgate.
Surviving are his beloved wife, Jill; his father, Francis “Vince” Nilles of Hamilton; sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Robert Slutsky of Monroe, NY; brother and sister-in-law, Gregory and Diane Nilles of Dresden, NY; uncle Edward Mileski of Coloma, MI; his in-laws, Beth Scott and Mark Stanbro, Neal and Chris Scott; several nieces, nephews and cousins, and many close friends. He was predeceased by his mother, Janet in 1986.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am Monday, April 8, 2019 at St. Mary’s Church, Hamilton, followed by interment with military honors in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Hamilton.
Friends are invited to call at the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 25 Broad St., Hamilton on Sunday from 5-7pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Legion Post #1556, 3606 South St., Madison NY 13402; the Muscular Skeletal Transplant Foundation, mtfbiologics.org.; or to a charity of one’s choice;