Jesse Ricord Family Fund

Dear Community,

 

It is with great sadness and disbelief that we announce the sudden and very unexpected passing of Jesse Ricord at only 38 years old.

 

Jesse leaves behind his loving wife Jean and 6 young children, Aaron (13), Tyrus (9), Sophie (8), Sela (6), Evan (4), and Lola (1). As you can imagine Jean and the children are devastated by the loss of their amazing husband and father.

 

Jesse's wife Jean now faces the task of being the sole caregiver for their 6 children after many years of being a stay-at-home mother. The Ricord family is in need of any and all support we can give during this time of grieving and carving out a new way of life without their Dad and husband. This loss now creates a huge financial burden as Jesse took pride in being the sole provider for his family. Jesse was a highly respected lineman who had dedicated his career to serving the members of Great Lakes Energy for the past 16 years.

 

During this time, they will need help with the funeral expenses, daily living expenses, mortgage, utilities, and all of the other necessities that come with raising 6 children for years to come. The funds will help out tremendously, while they try to work out the intricate details of day-to-day life without Jesse.

 

We are hoping to ease the burden on Jean and help with some of the needs she will have after losing her husband. Jesse was an amazing father. He worked hard to support his family and wanted his wife and children to have everything they needed. His children were the loves of his life. He was a hard worker and an excellent provider. Jesse was a very kind-hearted soul. He was always willing to help those in need.

 

Jesse and Jean are very rooted in their Catholic faith. It is this faith that has helped guide them through the devastating loss of their oldest daughter, Jenna in 2011. Staying strong in their faith is very important to them. Jean has lost so much already. Jesse and Jean are dedicated to sending their children to Catholic school. This fund will help to keep the children in their schools, rooted in their faith, and community for years to come.

 

Jean and the children have a very long road of recovery ahead of them. While the path is unclear at this time, we know with the support of our community we can help ease some of the burdens from Jean.

 

We feel it is important to point out, based on averages reported out from usda.gov the average cost to raise a child in today’s society annually is $12,980 per year. At their current ages to get them through high school would be approximately $872,000 based on this national average. This doesn’t include any other household needs like the mortgage, vehicle, Jean’s expenses to survive. Just the fact that she will need to be home to mother her children will prevent her for the time being to be employed.

 

We put a tremendous amount of time into developing the number listed on this page. We understand that this is a large number as well. We sought assistance from financial advisors and community advisors. We don’t want the community to fear the number listed, we are hoping you understand the financial burden Jean and the children will be facing today and, in the years, to come. The amount listed on this page was developed considering two factors. First, making sure the house they live in continues to stay their home. There is currently a mortgage on the home. Second, is the average cost of supporting her children as we mentioned in the paragraph prior. This is approximately $872,000 until they are 18. 

 

As a community, let us come together and help this family make it through. Let us show love, support, and compassion. It is in these times of loss and sadness when people come together to help one another make it through, to support the people we care for. We thank you in advance for any support you are able to provide. We encourage you to lift his family up in prayer. Keep them in your thoughts and don't take another day for granted. Even if you are not in a position to help out, please share this GoFundMe page with your friends and family.

 

We have assembled a team of advisors for her to help manage the donations coming in. Joe and Angela Ricord, Brad DeBruyne, Mark Augustyn, and Don Duba are the team members. The donations will be properly allocated into manageable accounts. Jean will have access to the daily, weekly, and monthly expenses. The funds will be protected in a Trust for Jean and the children and an endowment fund will be set up for their education. We will help guide her to get the best use of the donations possible.

 

If there are any other ways you would like to donate or have any questions please contact us directly through the Go Fund Me page.

 

All of this will happen with your kind and generous donation.

 

With Great Love,

 

The Ricord’s