A Larger-Than-Life Personality — with the Scars to Prove It!
We considered using this space to honor Jeff’s memory the traditional way: with sweet words from friends and family, cute stories from his childhood, and, naturally, many tears from those who loved him the most. And don’t get us wrong; he deserves all those things and more. He was a devoted son, brother, father, husband, grandfather, friend, and co-worker by age 44. He brightened up eve-ry room he walked into, always had a smile on his face, and genuinely cared about everyone around him.
Jeff was a good person. He was taken from us too soon, and we miss him terribly. With that said, Jeff wouldn’t want us to be solemn.
He would want us to laugh, get outdoors and have fun, enjoy life to the fullest — AND BLOW STUFF UP!
Jeffrey Thomas Minhinnett (AKA: Pyro Jeff)
June 28, 1978 — August 16, 2022
Our Memorial Photo Gallery
They Call Him Pyro Jeff for a Reason!
Jeff was attracted to fireworks and blowing stuff up for as long as any of us can remember. He was never careful about it, either. He had scars everywhere; thankfully, nothing he couldn’t heal from or that caused anyone harm. But he was certainly the poster child for what not to do with fire or explosives. It didn’t have to be the 4th of July, New Year’s, or any other major celebration — Jeff was all-in on whatever he could get his hands on year-round. As a result, the stories of “Pyro Jeff” have quickly become the stuff of legends.
Like the time he nearly blew his hand off while on vacation in Florida. As the story goes, Jeff’s father, Ken, purchased enough fire-works to fill up the entire bed of his pickup truck. The plan was to have a nice, long family fireworks show on the beach — and for all intents and purposes, that’s exactly what happened. But as everyone was packing up for the evening, Jeff noticed a few unused artillery shells and decided to set them off. The problem was that he was purposely waiting for the fuse to get near the end of the wick before he’d finally toss them into the air. As you can probably imagine, one of the fuses burned up faster than Jeff could throw the shell, and it went off in his hand (don’t try this at home, kids).
Jeff suffered severe burns on his right hand and had to be taken to the emergency room. But that didn’t slow him down.
He was constantly being adventurous and pushing the envelope. He loved creating bonfires — some as high as 25 feet. While helping a friend move one time, he tossed a semi-lit cigarette out the window while he was driving and didn’t realize the wind had blown it into the back of his truck. The entire truck bed and the contents inside were burned to the ground. He was also known for playfully tossing smoke bombs into the bathroom while his buddies were in there. Friends and family would naturally come up with all sorts of stunts for Pyro Jeff to try in the years that followed. And, of course, he’d do it.
More Than a Fireworks Stand — a Legacy!
Jeff and his siblings Christopher and Alicia always talked about opening a fireworks stand. We’d venture to say it was the No. 1 thing on Jeff’s bucket list, and he swore they’d build it from scratch and turn it into the biggest attraction Denton has ever seen. But for one reason or another, it didn’t happen during his lifetime. This is why our family is so committed to finally making Pyro Jeff’s Fireworks Stand a reality. For us, it’s a way to honor him in the most meaningful way possible.
We want this stand to symbolize everything Pyro Jeff was known for, and we’ve spared no expense to make it larger than life. While many traditional fireworks stands are anywhere from 35 to 40 feet long, Pyro Jeff’s is 50 feet of fireworks bliss! Jeff was a massive Cowboys fan, so we decked everything out in blue and silver. And that sign! Oh, that sign! You need to see it to believe it!
Make Some Noise the Pyro Jeff Way!
Life isn’t near as spectacular without a few hundred fireworks beautifully lighting up the night sky. That’s what our beloved Pyro Jeff Minhinnett believed, and it’s why we want to help make your next celebration truly explosive! Pyro Jeff’s Fireworks Stand in Denton, TX, has a wide selection of high-quality fireworks guaranteed to satisfy your fix for the extreme — whether you plan to celebrate the 4th of July with a grand finale for the ages or you need a few sparklers for the kiddos.
From traditional firecrackers and sparklers to missiles, rockets, Roman candles, cakes, zippers, artillery shells, and more, we are North Texas’ newest fireworks headquarters. Our goal is to spare no expense for having every possible fireworks need under one roof for you to enjoy and light up the night sky.