IN THE KITCHEN WITH JEFF BEEBE
The youngest of five siblings, Jeff Beebe is a former three-sport athlete and team captain at Pope John XXIII High School. He went on to play NCAA football at Franklin and Marshall College. During that period, he was also a Certified Water Safety Instructor teaching at the former Engle School in Sparta, a water babies and senior citizens class at Kittatinny High School, and taught several life guard certification courses for the Lake Mohawk Country Club. Nine years ago, Beebe, who lives with his family in Sparta, discovered a different type of sport. “After watching my son for a little over a year, I couldn’t take it anymore and signed up for the adult class,” he said. He’s been studying at East West Karate Academy ever since, and said he was drawn to the school, on Woodport Road in Sparta, first for his son and then for himself because “the owner/chief instructor, Scott Klinger, was very demanding.” Beebe said, “That is exactly what I was looking for. Its why I came and why I stay.” Not only did he stay as a student, but four years ago, Beebe became an instructor in the children’s classes for kids over four years. Beebe and his 14-year-old son Ryan, a Junior Black Belt and student for over 10 years, recently competed nationally in three states over a five month period bringing home a couple of Gold and Silver medals in sparring and weapons forms at the 2007 AAU National Karate Championship in Winston Salem, NC. Ryan Beebe recently earned a Bronze Medal at the 2008 National event in Albany NY. In light of this success, father and son will be traveling to Okinawa, Japan, this November with a US contingent for a two week adventure. They have been invited to train with several of the island’s most formidable masters. “We’re looking forward to many hours of learning abroad,” Beebe said. Aside from his world of karate, Beebe has been an investment consultant and officer at Lakeland Bank since January of 2006, helping the customers of eight branches in Sussex County achieve their financial goals. “Working in Sussex County the past few years has enabled me to spend more time with his family and less time on Route 80,” he said. Prior to that he was senior financial consultant and vice president with Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney for 13 years, and a purchasing manager for the Fisher Scientific Company for five years. Beebe’s wife of 18 years, Charlene, is a graduate of the University of Scranton. After many years working in the corporate world of Wall Street, she became a personal trainer and now also works locally. Both husband and wife are life-long Sussex County residents, not to mention high-school sweethearts. They first met on the playground at Rev. Brown in first grade. The Beebe’s 12-year-old daughter, Erin, is an honor roll student, an eight year veteran of dancing, and loves playing guitar. She loves cruising with her father in his Mustang. Beebe’s Recipe I have to raise my right hand and say am I not what you would call a chef at all as some of my other friends but do have a passion for making omelet’s any way you like, any time of day. Eggs have always been one of the pleasurable food staples in my life. My preference is for frying up fresh onions and peppers and wrapping them within the omelet ... with taylor ham and cheese of course. Topped with a few splashes of ketchup, or Tabasco sauce if your stomach is in a good mood, and you have an almost sort of healthy meal anytime.