Jessica Marie Wescott, age 26 years, of High Bridge, NJ, returned home to the arms of her Lord on Monday, June 13, 2022, at Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ, with her beloved family by her side.

Born at Hunterdon Medical Center on June 3, 1996, the fire in the heart and soul of this angel was as vibrant as her red hair. The first-born child of Christopher and Bernadette Padula Wescott, Jessie was a lifelong area resident.

Graduating from the High Bridge school system, she would then attend and graduate from Voorhees High School, and then attend an advanced skills program at North Hunterdon High School. Jessie loved to be active in school and the many programs that went along with education. She was known among everyone-teachers, peers, anyone- to be the person that would uplift whoever needed a boost, anywhere, anytime, no matter the situation. She was currently attending an amazing day program called “Our House” in Bridgewater, NJ, which she started after concluding her time at North Hunterdon. Jessie truly enjoyed her time with the staff members there and through the program was able to do many hours of volunteer work at various organizations.

Continually on the move, Jessie woke up daily ready to seize the day, assisted in her younger years by many amazing school aides, especially Debbie Cucuzella, who was with Jessie from her early school years. At school, she was very involved with sports and didn’t shy away from any sport; from soccer, to basketball, to track and field, she did it all, and all of it well!

She was a proud member of the Hunterdon County Special Olympics and also of HOPS and Unified, two other sporting organizations that help show each athlete their value.

A beach girl who enjoyed Point Pleasant, Jessie was also a foodie and one should not get in her way if a Nathan’s hot dog vendor was nearby! She enjoyed attending Somerset Patriots games, watching the sharks at the Jenkinson’s Boardwalk Aquarium, and wearing bright and cheery clothes, always honoring her title of ‘fashionista.’

Never one to let any type of adversity bring her down, by living life the way she did, Jessie showed all those around her what it means to truly live. It was at the age of eight, where a kidney transplant saved her life; to this day Jessie and her family were and will always be grateful to the family of the little angel who gave Jessie their kidney and whom she is surely giving a hug to as you are reading this sentence.  That ‘Gift of Life’ will never be forgotten and if you could pause reading this for a moment and think of all those who have given this amazing gift, as well as their families, you will honor Jessie.

Coming from a ‘small’ family, with twenty aunts and uncles and twenty-nine cousins, Jessie loved being around her family. She had a way of putting a smile on the face of everyone, and her infectious smile lit up any room.

The oldest of three sisters, Jessie made sure she was ‘in charge’ and taught her younger sisters many life lessons that will guide them through life as they continue to live daily and do the things Jessie always dreamed of doing.

Her Dad, Chris, was Jessie’s biggest fan and her mom, Bernadette, her best friend. The two were joined together in every way, and there was nothing her parents did not do to ensure Jessie was content and living life to the fullest.

Though her passing will surely leave a void in the hearts of so many, to mourn without hope is something that would make Jessie very upset. She would want all reading this to remember these words, and to put them in action daily: “Love does not die, people do. So when all that is left of me is love, give me away as best as you can.”

Jessie was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Mary Padula; her paternal grandmother, Ann Wescott; an uncle, Joseph Padula; an aunt, Patricia Wescott; and a cousin, Jack Wescott.

In addition to her parents, Jessie is survived by her two sisters, Samantha Lynn Wescott and Emily Ann Wescott; her paternal grandfather, Ron Wescott; her aunts and uncles, James and Karen Wescott, Julie Wescott, Eileen Wescott-Kish, Marianne and Robert McLaughlin, Kathleen and Hugh Wescott, Elizabeth Wescott, Deborah and James Stuckey, Elizabeth Ann Ward, Vincent and Irene Padula, Peter and Tina Padula, James Padula, and Maria Latargia; her cousins, Craig, Nicole, James, Danielle, Anthony, Christine, Nicholas, Peter, Joseph, Angelo, Melissa, Alyssa, Jake, Enzo, Maggie, Miles, Travis, Sabrina, Jason, Isabel, Carlie, Kyle, Owen, Aidan, Hannah, Madison, Ryan and Nate; her BFF, Emily Lamperti; and many extended family and friends, all of whom Jessie considered as family.

Jessie will lie in repose on Friday, June 17, 2022, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, 59 Main Street, High Bridge, NJ 08829. Everyone is kindly asked to meet directly at the church on Saturday morning and to follow the instructions of the Wright & Ford Care Team Family Ambassadors upon arrival for parking.

If you need assistance with getting into church or are handicapped, please see the Ambassadors when you pull up near the front of the church.

Entombment will be private at Immaculate Conception Mausoleum, Annandale, NJ.

You are encouraged to visit Jessie’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Jessie are asked to make a contribution in her honor and memory to the Hunterdon Outreach Program, via mail to: P.O. Box 1099, Flemington, NJ 08822, or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”