Jesse Lhotka was someone you could count on:  If he made a promise-he kept it.  He would do everything in his power to help people who asked, but what’s more is that you didn’t have to ask, he would see a problem and step in to help.  He believed in the strength of honesty and kindness and he held himself to this high standard of living. 

            Jesse was born on March 10, 1980.  He grew up learning respect and family values from his mother.  He applied those values to the last day of his life, our mother used to say “There are enough people out there to be mean to you-be there for each other.”  And Jesse was.  He loved his mother and believed in her, even when he was a grown man he would lay his head on her lap, saying, “Mom tell me what a good boy I am.”  That was Jesse-his sense of humor was contagious.  He loved to make people laugh and to be the center of attention.  He had “dances” to songs, made up funny words, and came up with a new prank every day.  Jesse also loved to laugh.  When you told him a story, you had to be prepared to stop suddenly for his questions and then for him to have his geeky, but lovable haa-haa-haa.  Our family used to stay up all night telling and retelling stories.  There was the one when Mom was mad and said “Jesse Damnit Lhotka”-from then on his middle name was Damnit!  And one time he kept telling his best friend Doug to swear when they were at moms’ house, knowing that mom would go wild.  He took the sock off his foot, wrote his name on it and hung it up on his friend’s fireplace for Christmas.  He became a bingo buff at first because he thought it would be funny and then took it seriously because it involved money. 

            Jesse also loved to play games, every time he came home from college; he taught his siblings a new game.  But his all time favorite was Monopoly.  I can remember sitting up for days playing “monops”.  He had to be the banker; he had to be the car.  But Jesse did more for us than just teach us new games, he taught us about being a good person.  He was there for us.  Once Sonja was in the hospital he dropped everything, drove home full of wet paint and cried when he saw she was okay.  He gave Quinton advice and took him fishing, videotaped my prom, and gave Molly’s boyfriends the final okay.  He told us not to smoke, to do well in school, he encouraged our talents and was there failure or success.  He was a brother and a friend and he took this very seriously. 

            Jesse met his wife on January 30, 2003; he held a white rose and was very nervous.  Stacey and Jesse fell in love quickly and completely.  Together they went on trips, made friends, and became a part of each others families and futures.  Stacey opened many doors for Jesse and helped him become the kind of person he wanted to be.  He giggled and got shy (I think for the first time in his life) when he told his family about her.  “She is sooooo beautiful” he said.  He talked about a three year plan and taking his time in this relationship, but anyone could tell-he was hooked.  He cried at their wedding and later said “It was the best day of my life”.  Stacey always says that Jesse fulfilled her life, but I think she did that and more for him.  Because of her, Jesse knew the complete and undying love of a woman and was able to return it with his whole heart.  She was his angel.

            Jesse will always be remembered as a soldier-he loved being one.  When he joined the National Guard he learned respect, discipline, and camaraderie.  He loved his guard brothers and was proud to be a part of something so great.  Do I think Jesse wanted to die for it?  No.  Do I think he would have been proud to die the way he did?  Would he do the same thing again?  Without a doubt.  That was Jesse.  100%.  All or nothing,