Santa Cruz

Jessica was born in Westfield, MA. She grew up in Western MA, where she began exploring her lifelong passions of writing, running, and photography. For a seven-year stint of her childhood, she and her younger sister Tanya took formal dance classes, including jazz, ballet, and tap. Her time in ballet shoes was overshadowed by her love of books; there wasn’t a time when she wasn’t reading.

Jess attended West Springfield HS, where she wrote for her first newspaper, the West Springfield Terrier Times, and ran track and cross country. Jess would run the mile so hard that her entire face and neck would turn red, pushing herself until she would feel sick. Her self-motivation was evident in her academics, too; she graduated sixth in her class.

After high school, Jess attended the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. As a student, she wrote for the college newspaper, The New Hampshire. She also wrote for the student-run creative literary magazine, Main Street Magazine. Showcasing her heart for others, Jess spent her spare time volunteering for the SHARPP (Sexual Harassment & Rape Prevention Program) Center for Interpersonal Violence Awareness, Prevention, and Advocacy. She staffed the hotline to listen and offer empathetic guidance to UNH faculty, staff, and students impacted by relational violence. Later in her college career, Jess interned at the Nashua Telegraph, Nashua’s daily newspaper, covering agriculture, transportation, features, crime, breaking news, and government.

After graduating from UNH, Jess spent nearly two years writing for the daily Vermont newspaper, the Bennington Banner. At the Banner, she was responsible for covering two New York towns and three villages. In February 2006, she was recognized by the mayor and trustees of one of these villages, the Village of Cambridge, in an official resolution for her “outstanding dedication in reporting the events of the Village” and that her “commitment and excellence …made a significant impact on the success of many projects and events.”

Apart from her professional success at the Banner, Jess also met her husband Luke, who was a graphic designer in the advertising department. In 2006, Jess followed Luke across the country to Oakland, CA, where he pursued a second bachelor’s degree in animation at Expression College in Emeryville and Jess continued in the field of journalism.

Jess’s West Coast career started in freelance at the Alameda Journal, a biweekly paper that became part of the East Bay Times. Following her time at the Journal, she covered North Bay city and crime for the Benicia Herald. From the Herald, she transitioned to the Vallejo Times-Herald. Alongside the Benicia and Vallejo papers, Jess worked part time at Spasso Coffeehouse, now Spasso Arts & Community Cafe, as a barista and later a supervisor. Coffee shop customers were often inspiration for characters in her personal creative writing.

After four years of living in California, Jess and Luke married in a small private ceremony in March 2010. While their lives continued in the Golden State, familial relationships back home remained a priority; Jess and Luke both traveled East at least once a year to visit their families. Running also became a priority for Jess during this time. In 2013, she ran her first marathon at the Oakland Running Festival. She went on to complete more than 100 endurance events in her lifetime, including trail ultramarathons, legs of Ironman's, recurring holiday runs, annual road races, and more.

In March 2014, Jess and Luke left Oakland so she could pursue reporting at the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Jess remained on staff for more than 10 years; her beats were county public safety, county courts, the City of Santa Cruz, crime, and homelessness. While at the Sentinel, Jess won multiple journalism awards from the California News Publishers Association, CNPA. Among these were fourth place in Division Three for Homelessness Reporting in 2023 and second place in Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Profiles in 2020. Jess was drawn to vulnerable populations and maintained unbiased reporting. She wrote with heart and kept her community well-informed.

Jess’s journalism awards and race bibs are a small testament to her grit, stubbornness, and drive. Her fortitude carried her through her nearly four-year battle with neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare form of cancer that develops from neuroendocrine cells into tumors and spreads throughout the body. Throughout treatment, she continued to chase her personal and professional goals, invest in her relationships, travel to music festivals, and spend time in nature, whether on foot or behind the camera. In her leisure time, Jess could be seen listening to Blind Pilot, Dave Matthews Band, or Guster. You could also find her head deep in a book of some of her favorite science fiction authors: Lian Banks, Wally Lamb, or humorist David Sedaris.

Jess is survived by her husband, Luke, sister Tanya, brother Charlie, mother Lois, father Charles, aunts Sheila, Trudy, & Patricia, nephews Jacob and Clinton, many cousins including Megan and Heather, and her dog Quimby. She is predeceased by her grandparents Gertrude, Chester, Jean, William, step grandmother Dorothy, stepmother Barbara, & Aunt Susan. Her memory lives on in extended family, in the communities she reported for, past and current staff at the Santa Cruz Sentinel, her lifelong friend Craig and his wife Heather, and Jess’s running group, the Sunday Regulars.

A memorial service will be held 2- 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga., Santa Cruz.

Jess loved running in The Forest of Nisene Marks, a state park in Aptos, CA. In her memory, the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will build and station a tribute table in the forest. To visit her table and plan your own adventure, visit www.parks.ca.gov. To donate to, visit thatsmypark.org. To keep Jess’ legacy in journalism alive, an endowment will be started to provide need-based scholarships to exceptional students interested in studying the field at UNH. For more info, contact cconnors23@gmail.com.