Jeffrey Ernest Babineau was a giant figure with a gentle touch. He died at 62 at home in Oviedo, Florida, on Dec. 9, 2024, and left a huge hole in so many lives. He was a beloved father and grandfather, husband and brother, uncle and nephew, and he treated everyone with love and respect.
He was born Oct. 16, 1962, in Dennis, Massachusetts, along a stretch of small beach towns on Cape Cod. He was raised by a loving family, the son of the late Ernest and Suzanne Babineau, and shared that spirit with everyone he touched. Being a few hours from Boston stoked a passion for all things Beantown, whether it was the Red Sox or Celtics, Patriots or Bruins. And there was always golf. He graduated from Dennis- Yarmouth Regional High School in 1980, the same year he won the club championship at Dennis Pines. He went back each year for summer vacations to rekindle friendships with the many friends who shared a passion for laughter, golf, some birdies, and the occasional stray shot.
After high school, Jeff headed south to Florida to pursue a career in journalism and perhaps a little more golf. He found Florida Southern to be a good fit for both. When he got a good look at a golf team that included future PGA Tour members Lee Janzen, Rocco Mediate and Marco Dawson, Babineau turned his focus to journalism.
Thus was the start of another relationship. Everywhere he went, the circle of friends kept getting bigger. He worked for the Lakeland Ledger and the Cape Cod Times, and he was lured back to central Florida for a job at the Orlando Sentinel. He worked his way up to be the golf writer in a city where Arnold Palmer was the King, and a young kid named Tiger Woods turned pro and moved into the neighborhood. The respect they had for Jeff was immense, for Jeff was true to his profession and honest with people about whom he wrote.
He loved sharing trips with his wife, Jane, and three sons – Keith, Derek, and Luke -- for whom he cared deeply. They went to Fenway and to Kapalua, to the Masters and to Bay Hill, sharing places and moments he rarely took for granted. And it was pure joy to see his granddaughter, Ivy, born Thanksgiving Day to Luke and partner Raygin, and look so lovingly at her because family was where he always drew strength.
At work, he was known as a journalist who shared his wisdom and experience to cultivate young talent. He left the Orlando Sentinel in 1998 for Golfweek, a small but golf-centric magazine where Jeff flourished as a senior writer and eventually the editor. Nearly a dozen people he mentored are still employed in golf journalism, all of them having learned when to grind and when to laugh. Laughter was never in short supply. And he led by example, having covered more than 100 majors – including all 15 won by Tiger – and 12 Ryder Cups. His words flowed whether it was great triumph or the tragedy of losing two of his favorite golfers, Payne Stewart in 1999 and Arnold Palmer in 2016.
Tributes that have poured in all had a familiar thread. Jeff saw the best in people and never had a bad word for any of them. Some who met him only once still recall how welcome Jeff made them feel. He liked meeting people. Everyone loved him back.
Jeff is survived by wife Jane, sons Keith Bisgounis and Derek Bisgounis and his wife, Jessica, and Luke Babineau and his partner Raygin; granddaughter Ivy and grandson Brooks. He leaves sister Jody-Lyn Babineau, niece Alyson Almonte and nephew Louis Almonte. He lived in the Orlando area longer than anywhere else, but the Cape was always home.
So much of his love came from being around family. So many others were the beneficiaries of a great man who is sorely missed. His sister, Jody, recalls Jeff once writing to his mother "keep forging ahead with faith in our tomorrows." Jeff also believed in the power of love, and his family has been richly blessed because of it. We should think of Jeff as living in the hearts of those he touched, for nothing loved is ever lost and he was loved so much.
The family invites you to join in a "Celebration of Life" on Dec. 28 from 1-4 p.m. at Heathrow Country Club in Lake Mary, Fla. This will be an opportunity to remember his life, his legacy and endless memories of a man constantly intent on lifting those around him. We will always hear his laughter.
