Jeffery Patrick Archer

Wednesday July 20, 2016, Jeffery Patrick Archer, 52, was struck and killed by an impaired driver while crossing the road to a classics car show in Mooresville, NC.   Jeff was born July 14, 1964 in Zanesville, Ohio to Carl and Marilyn Archer. He graduated from “The” Ohio State University with a degree in computer engineering. Over Jeff’s 52 years, he became known as a leader in more than one local community. Through his sons, Seth, 21, and Samuel, 18, he became involved in Cub and Boy Scout Troop 171 as a Cub Scout Master. He received his own Eagle Scout award while in high school, and he worked extensively to mentor and lead a new generation of scouts.  Jeff also served on the Downtown Statesville Development Corporation for several years, including a term as chairman of the board. He was a local business leader in the Statesville community, where he won awards for renovations made to his bicycle shop, and served as a model for the impact a single business leader can make on a town. Perhaps most importantly, Jeff was a leader in the bicycling community. His bike shop, First Flight Bikes, was inspired by the Wright Brothers, who owned a bicycle shop in Ohio before heading to North Carolina to perform their historic flights. The shop was nationally recognized as one of the best bike shops in the country, winning numerous awards from industry publications. Jeff started the Museum of Mountain Bike Art and Technology, which housed hundreds of vintage bikes, bike parts and cycling literature. The museum, housed on the second floor of his shop, is one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. It became an attraction in its own right, with people travelling from around the world to see the collection. He also started his own line of custom mountain bikes, Mountain Goat Cycles, which he bought from Jeff Lindsay, a pioneer in mountain bike field. When he wasn’t at the bike shop, Jeff could probably be found outside at Lake Norman State Park. In 2001, Jeff began construction on the Itusi trail system, which is now stretches 30.5 miles. Nearly every Sunday for years, Jeff could be found in the woods leading a group of volunteers to construct the trail system, which now attracts close to 20,000 bike riders to the park per year. His impact on the cycling community was immense, and will be missed dearly. He is survived by his wife, Julie Haas Archer, his sons Seth Patrick and Sam Paul Archer, father, Carl Archer, stepmother, Sharon Archer, sister, Michelle Archer Campanario, his father and mother­in­law, Richard and Pat Hass, and his bicycle family. A celebration of life ceremony will be held 3:00 P.M. Sunday, July 24 at Western Avenue Baptist Church with Chaplain Butch Branscome officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family will be setting up a fund to benefit mountain biking in the local community. Details on how to donate will be posted to the bike shop’s website, FirstFlightBikes.com soon. Condolences to the family can be made at nicholsonfunerals.com. Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family of Jeff Archer.