The Passing of Jessica Ann Perkins

Jessica Perkins--a eulogy and fond reminiscing of my friend

On Saturday, June 7th Jessica Perkins passed away at her mother's home in Provo Utah at the age of 28. Jessica was my best friend since I was 12 years old and I will miss her dearly, but I am happy that she is freed from these earthly bonds of pain and suffering, as she fought cancer for nearly two years; undergoing chemo/radiation therapy twice and suffering much. Jessica was able to have some life adventures still--after finishing her first chemo therapy she took a trip to Croatia (where her grandmother is from). And she was able to spend time with family and friends--her family all rallied around her with support, her brother, sister, and sister's husband and son moved to Orem after she was diagnosed--she has a wonderful family whom I love!...I cherish my last days I was able to spend with her. Even with the heavy burden of terminal cancer Jessica was still a ray of sunshine with a great sense of humor and the kindest heart.
I met Jessie in Baker City Oregon where we both grew up...my first day at church I walked into class; she looked friendly and had a seat open by her so I took it--then school started and she was in my 6th grade class...I was new at school, but I had someone to sit by at lunch :) -- A week later Jessie moved to Utah, but she moved back within a year and we would become life-long friends! And most fortunately for me she moved to Utah just a year before my family did.
Jessie is the funnest person I know...we've had many adventures together growing up, including going to girls camp as partners for 4 years (the 4th year was a steep 5 mile Mountain hike to 11,000 ft where we packed in all our gear and roughed it for 4 days--everyone had nice 25 poundish packs...we didn't want to be unprepared, so our packs weight 50 pounds; but we were enjoying a steak dinner when everyone else was eating Ramen noodles! - Fresh beef from Jessie's family's ranch...we were both country girls at heart; she lived on a ranch out of town and also in a big beautiful victorian style home on the outskirts of Baker City...We lived on a 5 acre little slice of heaven a couple miles out of town :) --we went to junior high & high school together, we went to a lot of dances and church activities. Spending the night at each others houses often led to fun adventures, one that particularly sitcks out in my mind is the late night we took a bunch of pop cans and put them on the hood of her little honda car and drove fast enough to watch them fly over the open sun roof (small town fun:)... jessica was an excellent driver, especially in the snow. One New Years Eve when we were 17, we went to a party at a friend (Anthony Leggett's) house (there weren't many LDS members in our school and we liked to stick together...all 10 or so of us :) and after the party we all decided to adventure to the old abondened resort/loony bin, Hot Lake--very creepy but cool, huge old fancy building (and undoubtedly haunted! :) :P Seven of us piled into my beater car for the journey...I made Jessie drive because there were bad winter roads and I knew she could handle them best - it was about a half hour drive to Hot Lake, and a few miles before we got there (all of us a little apprehensive for our ghostbusters adventure) ...the headlights on my car started blinking on and off--I said, Jessie-what are you doing?!...she said, I'm not doing it!! and held her hands up--as they kept blinking off and on by themselves (Yipes) . . . we all started singing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam!" Well, Jessie kept her cool and got us safely there--my car never did that again(?!)
-- I just wanted to post a couple of my fun and fond memorie's that I'll always have of my friend who touched so many lives deeply!
Jessie also threw the funnest and most elaborate Halloween parties you'd ever seen!--Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I lived for her parties!...We were lucky enough to go to one a couple years ago, as she put on another killer Halloween party a couple months before she was diagnosed in 2006. - Jessica also threw my bridal shower in 2003; she's such a good friend; the shower was the envy of all brides-to-be...better planned out and put on than my wedding reception :) haha.
Jessica is So Very talented in many ways and areas! She was a great, creative artist & also had such a good knack for decorating--a talent shared w/her mom and sister!--their homes have always been beautifully and adorably decorated. She had a beautiful singing voice...and wow, could she cook!! - her spagetti was an art form and my favorite...she cooked her special homemade sauce all day--you'd just hate when you finally filled up from the spagetti and bread you ate it on!!
Jessie had no children of her own, but kids loved her and she was so good with them!
Jessica was always so beautiful with brown curly hair, sparkling brown eyes, the cutest face and brightest smile... and her beauty on the inside can not be matched by a supermodel!
Jessica was always a good, faithful person and good example to all.
Although I mourn her death, I take comfort in knowing that she is in the rest and joy of our Heavenly Father.
"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest... Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
I love you Jessie, I'll miss you...'til we meet again.