Jessica (Jess) Annette Reidies died on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 near her home in Aurora, Colorado. She was 39 years old. Born to the late Frederick (Fred) and Ernestine (Tina) (Arndt) Reidies on December 11, 1986, she was raised in LaSalle and Tonica, Illinois. Jess was a proud graduate of Tonica Grade School, as well as LaSalle-Peru Township High School, Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, and Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Jess had an insatiable spirit for learning, adventure, and travel. After graduating from Gallaudet, Jess lived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a number of years, taking on teaching positions, becoming proficient in speaking Khmer, and establishing a close relationship with a local family. Her adventures on that side of the globe included a solo motorbike tour through Vietnam and Laos. She also toured Australia for a year in a nomad campervan, taking on seasonal work to support herself while exploring the sights. She returned to the US from Cambodia with her cat Faisyl in 2018, residing first in the Boston area, then Philadelphia, then Colorado. Proficient in American Sign Language and Cued Speech, one of her academic research interests involved language acquisition in deaf and hard of hearing children. More recently, Jess was enrolled in the Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO as a full-time student. Jess sought meaning, connection, and a deeper understanding of the world around her. Her many interests and experiences brought her into contact with people from different walks of life, including some navigating significant challenges. She advocated in ways that were meaningful to her and strove to make a difference to the people and causes she supported. She was an imaginative and introspective child, with many cherished childhood memories rooted in the Illinois Valley. Barefoot and carefree, she could often be found playing in the dirt, catching bugs, and tending lovingly to her animals. As an adult, Jess was an avid non-fiction reader, hiker, swimmer, and karaoke singer. She was a gifted writer and appreciated thoughtful discussions on subjects of interest to her. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday. She gave the best hugs, and one couldn’t help but join her when she started her giggles. Jess is survived by her brother, Stephen Ebener of Tonica, Illinois, as well as many cousins, aunts, uncles and others belonging to the Arndt, Reidies and Ebener extended families. She also leaves behind a multitude of friends the world over. Jess was much loved and will be missed. There will be a service to celebrate Jess on Nov 7, 2026, 2:30 pm (CST) at the Tonica United Methodist Church in Tonica, IL. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jess’s memory may be made to a cause or service she supported, such as cuedspeech.org, ashfoundation.org, driadvocacy.org, a local NPR station, or a local library.