Jason Brindle

Jason (Jay) Brindle passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 21st after a long tough fight.

Jay was born and raised in Berkeley Heights NJ, attended school and graduated from Governor Livingston Regional High School. He grew up with a lot of friends and family and did all the normal kid things.  He played youth football and baseball and also played on the GL Highlanders football team in high school.  He did a lot of camping with his family first in a travel trailer and later in a motorhome. He loved the Jersey Shore and swimming in the cold water and waves until he turned blue.  He also made yearly trips to visit his grandparents (mom-mom and pop-pop) in Key Largo to enjoy the warm weather and go swimming, fishing and waterskiing.  His love for the outdoors carried over to him attending two Outward Bound Wilderness courses. Once for 16 days in the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina and again in the Boundry Waters Wilderness for 23 days in Minnesota.

With a hand me down Honda 75 motorcycle from his brothers he found three things he loved.  Riding motorcycles, rebuilding motors and getting dirty.  He became a skilled mechanic and rider and learned to take care of his machines as he graduated to bigger bikes.

While a senior in high school, he found a second calling in pyrotechnics. He began working for the Garden State Fireworks Company.  At first building launch racks and later graduating to setting up shows.  After he was "adopted" by the Santore family.  He was taught the art of display shell construction and would spend hours at the plant constructing display shells.  His favorite day was obviously the 4th of July when he and his family would set up and run a show for a local country club. He had an eye for set-up and launch sequences and would tie a "Grand Finale" string of up to 400 shells that would go up in order from a single fuse.  With his dad and other workers, he did shows all over the New York and New Jersey area and was was well liked by his employer and co-workers and received rave reviews for his shows.  His favorite line as we were leaving for a show was to always ask his mom "Is dads Life insurance paid up?"

He followed his love for the Keys and moved to Key Largo in 2001.  He attended AMI in Daytona Beach and specialized in jet ski and wave runner repair and for a time worked for Riva Yamaha.  Later he worked for Tavernier Lawnmower while continuing his custom work on jet skis.  He worked for Chris Sante and on Chris' advice he and his father reopened Tavernier Mower as his own business.  Over the years Tavernier Mower became a successful respected business with a wide customer base serving the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to Key West.

Jay is survived by his parents Richard and Michele of Key Largo, Brothers Chris (wife Dawn) of Ling Hill Twp, NJ and Jon (Sara) of Milford NJ.

Please join us for A Celebration of Jays Life, Saturday July 23rd from 4-7pm at the Elks Club in Tavernier, FL to share your memories and stories with family and friends.