Jesse Redding
1989-2020
On June 23, 1989, an amazing person came into my life. Throughout his childhood, he was always adventurous and inquisitive. He loved to walk through the woods with a stick and tap the trees. Always a step or two behind his older brother, Travis, they conquered the world together. He loved animals and wanted chickens when he was little so he could collect the eggs. He loved spending time with his grandparents up on the family farm. His pappy’s tractors and trucks always made him happy.
A few years later he was surrounded by two more siblings – another brother and a sister. The four of them became they’re own little tribe. We took them all camping, fishing and hiking and Jesse loved it. Groton State Park was his favorite. Sometimes our friends, the Burbanks, would come along and Jesse spent hours with his friend Timmy.
As Jesse grew up, he loved track and field and hanging with his friends paintballing. We would have parties at our house where they made forts in the woods and set up a mock battlefield. They would make a day of it, and I would make them a big picnic. Jesse’s sister Bailey followed right alongside her brothers, playing they’re games.
About that time, Jesse got another little sister, Lilli, who stole his heart. Jesse also loved playing disc golf with his brothers Travis and Oliver. They loved the course in Waterbury and would go their often.
Jesse found his love for cooking in high school. It made him so happy creating culinary masterpieces. After high school, Jesse attended New England Culinary Institute. He did two internships one at the Equinox in Manchester and one in southern California. Jesse also worked in town at the famous Green Cup Café on Bridge Street. He then decided it was time to follow his older brother Travis to Colorado where he started working at a restaurant called Kenosha.
I got many pictures of all the beautiful country he was exploring out there. Later his younger brother Oliver joined him and Travis, and they became the three amigos conquering the West. It broke my heart having them all so far away, but when I went to visit, I experienced the rugged beauty and understood what had drawn them there.
There were a lot of rough years for Jesse, but his love for friends and family was always with him. Jesse had a beautiful heart; he brought a smile to everyone he met. He always had a joke to make you laugh; he was so fund to be with.
He had just come home for a family visit and brought his girlfriend, Steph Reece, with him. He had said, “Mom she’s a good one; I’m going to marry her someday.” We all loved her instantly. He was content when he was here and vibrant showing her his Vermont roots. Jesse went to see his sister Bailey in New Hampshire and got to meet Bailey’s love, Nigel. The four of them spent a day full of memories. He hiked Blueberry Lake with his dad and went fishing. He spent days with his sister, Lilli, hiking, disc golfing and laughing.
I am so very grateful Jesse came into my life, and I will always carry him in my heart. We will always and forever love you, Jesse.
His Momma
Melody Redding
Your love was unconditional
your heart was made of gold,
your presence was traditional,
your story will be told.
Your bad habits
were broken,
you were ready to
grow,
your soul was
outspoken,
you had changed
and this we know.
You remind us
day by day,
that you’re by our
side,
the memories we
replay,
together our sorrows
collide.
Aside from all this
pain,
the anger will
release.
A smile we’ll
obtain,
while you find
your peace.
--Lilli Redding
(Jesse Redding died in an automobile crash in South Dakota on October 24, 2020.)
