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<p><em>Jeffrey Edward Furbank</em>, the oldest son of Edward Harry Furbank and Patricia Caroline Hughes Furbank, was born in Astoria, NY on April 30, 1947. Jeff’s father was a proud World War II Army Air Corps veteran with an English heritage and a strong devotion to American patriotism. Jeff’s mother, Patricia, had a long and proud family history that was traced back to earliest colonial days in New England with the arrival of the Mayflower in the 17th century. Together, they instilled in Jeff a tremendous sense of history and pride in America’s role in the world. The Furbanks moved to Huntington, NY on Long Island for his formative years before he headed to West Point in 1965. </p>
<p>On July 1, 1965, Jeff was one of 1,126 young men who reported as new cadets in one of the largest entry classes in West Point history. That evening at a briefing, the new cadets were told to look left and right; one of the three probably would not make it. True enough, at the graduation in June 1969, just 800 members of the Class of 1969 were sworn in as new lieutenants. </p>
<p>Right from the beginning of his time as a cadet, Jeff demonstrated his special abilities to be successful. His first roommate in Beast Barracks later described him as a “rock” and solid friend and comrade. In September 1965, Jeff joined a group of his classmates in Company A-2 in old Central Barracks. Twenty-three of these classmates would remain together in A-2 until graduation, contributing to the feeling of being more like a “band of brothers.” They were a diverse group, coming from different parts of the country with varied cultural and personal perspectives, but they developed a steadfast loyalty to each other over time. </p>
<p>Jeff had a keen sense of humor, a ready smile, contagious laugh, and sharp intellect that made him an effective teammate and successful leader at West Point. He did well in academics and excelled in athletics and physical fitness. He found time for close friendships, movies and coffee calls as privileges increased. Jeff also loved Army sports, football in particular. His patriotism and professionalism marked him as a leader, and his commitment to the ideals of West Point—Duty, Honor, Country—never wavered. By the time he graduated in June 1969, Jeff, like his fellow brothers, was ready to experience the “real” Army and discover if he was cut out to be a career soldier.</p>
<p>As an Air Defense artilleryman, Jeff’s branch had a pressing need for competent young officers in their understrength units in Germany and Korea. Thus, Jeff’s first four years of duty took him to these two theaters, where Jeff was challenged immediately with leadership positions, first as a platoon leader and soon as a battery commander. From 1969 to 1973, he served in Germany, and from 1973 to 1974, he was in Korea, excelling in command positions in both theaters. Following a year of schooling at Fort Bliss, TX, he attended graduate school at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and received an M.A. in English prior to becoming an English instructor at West Point (1976-80). After CGSC at Fort Leavenworth, KS, he returned to Germany, where he served as the secretary of the General Staff for 32nd Army Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Command (1982-83) and battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 56th ADA Regiment (1983-84). His next assignment took him to the Pentagon, where he was chief of special actions in Army Public Affairs (1984-86). In 1986 he was selected to command one of the Army’s new Patriot missile battalions (1st Battalion, 43rd ADA Regiment) at Fort Bliss. In 1990, Jeff returned to the Pentagon to serve as the director of external affairs for the Strategic Defense Initiative, the high priority Star Wars Program. After 25 years of distinguished military service, Jeff retired in 1994 from the Army as a colonel. </p>
<p>After earning an MBA from George Mason University, he accepted the job as the executive director for the Huddleston Bolen law firm in Huntington, WV, where he would end up working for 18 years (1997-2015). The position there brought Jeff the opportunity to continue mentoring and influencing young people and making a positive difference in the lives of others, just as he had tried to do for soldiers during his Army career. In the early 2000s, in conjunction with his job, Jeff happened to meet a lady in Huntington, Kristie Contardi Finney, who ended up being his true soulmate and eventual partner in life. For almost 20 years, they shared life and the trials and joys associated with it, and they were blessed with love, happiness and friendships. Jeff and Kristie also shared a loyalty to his 1969 classmates, especially the A-2 band of brothers and their ladies, with whom they had many happy reunions in recent years in Ireland, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, as well as at West Point. </p>
<p>On June 1, 2024, not long after the Class of 1969 marked the 55th anniversary of their graduation, Company A-2 suffered the first loss of those 23 cadets who graduated on June 4, 1969, with the unexpected passing of their brother Jeff. He became the first of the band of brothers to cross the bounds of mortality and join the unbroken circle of eternal life where all souls will eventually gather.</p>
<p>Well Done; Be Thou at Peace, dear friend!</p>
<p><em>— Harry Dolton and A-2 Classmates</em></p>
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