Sister's Eulogy
Thirty-six years ago today, at 5:15 am, our family became complete when Jennifer arrived into the world. If you knew my brother as a child, you probably understand why I was super excited to get a sister. With an almost nine year age difference, she was like having a living, breathing baby doll. I remember the day she came home from the hospital like it was yesterday. My best friend and I decorated the nursery for her arrival with posters and a banner. Oddly enough, Jennifer and I have the same due date nine years apart. She came almost a month early with the only abnormality to show for it being two fused toes on her left foot. My mom asked the doctor if they should consider surgery and he told her that Jenn would have an advantage when the earth flooded so Jenn’s twin toes, as they were affectionately named, stayed. I’m not sure if I ever told her but as a child I was so jealous of those toes. I thought they, as well as her, were super special. I attribute this to the wonderful job my parents did telling her how those toes were her super power.

After having only Matthew, a tiny tornado, for almost two years, Jenn was the opposite. She wasn’t a great sleeper at first but once that worked itself out, she was the perfect child. She was fearless, curious, and gentle. That is, unless my parents or myself showed any type of PDA to our significant other. Then all bets were off and she would get a running start and shove us and yell “Stop it!” She never could explain where this came from but it certainly lent itself to some funny stories.

When they were young, Jennifer and Matthew renamed a lot of things that our family still uses today. Bathing suits are now baby soups, dinner is din din, and Michael Jackson will forever be known as Jackal Michson. The two of them spent hours upon hours watching “Moonwalker”, singing and dancing the entire time. When Jennifer was around eight she was absolutely obsessed with the song “You are not Alone”. I searched and searched for a video my mom took of her singing it but haven’t been able to find it and pray that it’s somewhere out there waiting for me to stumble upon. It is one of my favorite memories, Jennifer completely lost in song, and my mom crying tears of pride as only a mother can.

A couple of years later, Jenn would play Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on a loop in her bedroom. You know the saying dance like no one is watching? Well, Jenn sang like no one was listening. But her big sister was, doubled over with laughter at the bottom of the stairs. Luckily the music was up so high, or maybe she was so lost in song, that she never heard my cackles or snorts. I will never hear that song again without smiling through tears.

Most people know that Jennifer and Matthew were extremely close; however, that was not always the case. As most big brothers, Matt wasn’t always the nicest to Jenn when they were little. Sometimes he would get in trouble for something he had done to her and instead of feeling vindicated, Jenn would get upset and run away into the woods. No matter what he did, her love for him never wavered and that continued for the rest of her life. Through all that life threw at them, he was always her “grasshoppa” and she his.

Jenn was a planner, even as a small child. If a friend was coming over to spend the night, she would have the whole thing planned out and make us repeat the agenda multiple times. She was in love with nature and a favorite pastime when she was young was going to the creek to look for crayfish. She was born to drive, whether it be go-carts, 4 wheelers, or golf carts. As an adolescent, she was the quintessential tomboy. When I picture her during this time it is in her Jenco skater jeans and this blue button up shiny shirt that she adored. She was way more interested in basketball than dance classes, in riding her 4wheeler than talking on the phone. In her teenage years Jenn started to care more about boys and hair and makeup, but she never got tired of jumping on the 4wheeler or hooking a fish.

In highschool and college, she was life of any and all parties. One of my favorite pics of her was when her pants ripped while she was dancing the night away in college. Instead of getting embarrassed and running out of the club, she continued dancing and rolled with it. I was always so envious of her confidence and free spirit.

She was fiercely loyal, with a special emphasis on fierce. She had a mouth on her and would use it if the need called for it. One time we got into an argument in the car while our mom was driving. I remember thinking it may get physical and quickly realized that it would be a fight I would most certainly lose. She wasn’t typically a fighter except for things that mattered. For instance, one time she threatened a kid in high school who was bullying a friend with special needs. I can assure you, he didn’t make that mistake again.

She loved animals and helped raise some ducklings that were abandoned by their mother. I was joking with my mom the other day that we had more pictures and videos of those ducks than we do of us kids growing up. She also loved her pets, who were like her children. I have no doubt that Preston, Cameron, and Rockie were waiting on the rainbow bridge for her.
Jenn got to go on a lot of amazing trips. She met Aaliyah in New York City, visited Los Angeles and Mexico, the Grand Canyon with a world famous tour guide, our grandmother, and went on a couple of cruises. Her favorite place, though, was Emerald Isle. We spent many summers there as children and it became a home away from home. The last time we were there, for my wedding in October 2021, we agreed that the smell, something that hits you as you cross the bridge, was one of our favorite smells in the world.

During Jennifer’s senior year of college, our brother, her best friend, was sentenced to prison and our father, her idol, was diagnosed with cancer. Even with crippling anxiety and bouts of depression, Jennifer managed to graduate but eventually it all became too much and she began to self-medicate. Her best friends abandoned her and she struggled greatly over the loss of them. Not long after it began, she went to my parents and asked for help. She spent some time in treatment and that was the last we knew of her relationship with drugs. Based on everything we’ve learned since she left us, it is evident that it was a battle that she fought privately and courageously on and off for years. My family are not strangers to drug addiction. We sadly know it all too well and it’s why I believe Jenn was afraid to ask for help. She knew what we had all been through and didn’t want to add that burden to us. If only she knew, we would have done anything to have her still with us. Drugs have stolen so much from my family. My sister’s life, my brother’s freedom, my parent's peace, my children’s innocence. If you remember only one thing I say today, please remember this: Never be afraid to ask for help from those that love you most. I assure you they would cross mountains and oceans to save your life as the alternative is too painful to put in words.
Jennifer kept journals and I can’t tell you what they have meant to me since her passing. They have given me a peak into a world I wasn’t a part of, her private struggles. Over ten years ago she wrote about a song she wanted played at her funeral. She wrote about how much she loved her family, especially our parents. I want to share some of her own words now that she wrote many years ago. Mom and Dad, you were wonderful parents and I’m sorry. This wasn’t your fault, none of it. Mom, you are an angel on earth, my best friend, and were always there for me, unconditionally. Dad, you were my idol and also my best friend. The best feeling in the world for me was when I knew I made you proud. If I am gone it’s not because of you. God must have some plan for me. I asked if I have more meaning in heaven than on earth to please just take me. I can feel it inside of me, that I am meant for something amazing. I might just need to be an angel.

There are so many things I miss about her: spending Christmases together wrapping presents and baking, laughing with her, hearing her yelling for the Packers or UNC through the woods between our houses, hearing her walk in my house and say “There’s my favorite guy” to Crosby, being able to sit in comfortable silence, watching her fish at my parents’ pond, family dinners, and her riding 4wheelers and the golf cart with the kids are at the top of the list.

After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Jennifer journaled about the twenty-six random acts of kindness she completed in honor of those that died that day. I could think of no better way to honor her than for all of us here to complete 35 random acts of kindness, in her name, one for every year of her life. She was a bright star and the world is darker without her in it. May our love for her shed some light in the darkest of places. I love you to infinity and beyond, Jenzo. Keep flying with the butterflies till we see each other again.

Father's Eulogy
Thank you everyone for taking time out to come to the celebration of Jennifer’s life. Her passing was a real surprise to us all. The outpouring of kindness and friendship, food and well wishing for our family has been so appreciated. A special thank you to Beth, Rich, and Brigette, for helping Melissa to put together this event.
I’d like to share a couple of stories I remember about Jennifer as she was growing up. She was kind, loving, helpful, and a straight A student. Like her mom, she loved the outdoors. Like her dad, she loved to fish.
About 31 years ago, Bob Simchock, a good friend, was working at our house building a serenity pond and large planter bed. Every morning, Jennifer would get up early and go outside and talk with Bob about his progress and give him her advice. She was all of about five years old. When she was a teenager, we went on a paintball battle with Bob and a 12 person crew. It was such a blast and she was a great shot.
Jenzo, short for Jenzomatic as she was known in our family, loved to fish since she was a small child. One time we were striped bass fishing at Jordan Lake and she caught three nice ones and then a big one, about 12 pounds. I netted the fish for her and upon removal of the treble hook, it shook its head and all of a sudden I had a treble hook, plug, and striper attached to my thumb. She was so worried about me and in tears. I told her everything would be ok and asked her to get me the pliers from the tackle box, which I used to cut the hook off the plug to free my thumb. We made it home and I asked Chris if she could help me, to which she responded “I don’t remember where my scalpel is.” Needless to say, I didn’t stick around to help her find it and drove myself to the ER. Chris now says that she was kidding but I have my suspicions. I sometimes wonder if that event was a small part in Jennifer wanting to become a nurse like her mother.
Jenn was an avid fisherman and went on numerous deep sea trips. She called herself “Lady Luck” and always won the big fish jackpot. One day we caught four bluefin Tunas and she had the biggest at 225 lbs. I asked her if she wanted help reeling it in and she told me in a very stern voice “Dad, I got this one.” I had it mounted and it was one of her most prized possessions. It now resides in Crosby’s bedroom, as we imagine she would have wanted.
She was a true Green Bay Packers fan and watched all the games with me and Chris. She was a big Aaron Rogers fan as well though I’m pretty sure she also had a crush on him. We had the chance to get tickets to the Packers/Panthers game when they played in Charlotte and had a wonderful time.
I rekindled my friendship with my two best friends from Wisconsin late in life and they came down to go fishing with me and Jenn. One of my friends and his two sons were diehard Carolina fans, as was Jenn. The four of them went to a UNC/Duke game at the Smith Center when the Heels won. What a time they had!
A wonderful daughter, dump truck driver, office manager, and caregiver to seniors.
Jenzo, we all miss you and love you very much. One day we’ll all meet again.

For those planning to attend Jennifer's celebration of life, a part of the service will include a time for anyone that would like to say something about Jennifer to be able to do so. I wanted to share this in case anyone is interested and would like to prepare something. Additionally, we will be hosting a reception afterwards at the same location. It would be helpful to know how many people plan on attending for food purposes. If you could let me know if you plan on attending, that would be extremely helpful. Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers as our family navigates this difficult time.