After courageously battling esophageal/tracheal cancer and its after-effects for seven years, Jessica Helena Clark Tayon, 21, passed away in the arms of her loving husband Scott on Monday evening, January 15, 2007.
Jessica was born in Waterville, Maine, on October 6, 1985 to Alan and Linda Clark, the youngest of three daughters. The family moved to Erda, Utah, in 1996, and Jessica graduated from Grantsville High School in 2003 as an honor student, athlete, National Honor Society member, Academic Olympian, and Sterling Scholar in Science. Jessica worked summer jobs for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Bureau of Land Management in Ely, Nevada, Deseret Land and Livestock, and Utah State University. She was greatly admired for her work ethic and spunky can-do attitude. Jessica displayed a feisty passion for life and was driven to prove she could do anything she set her mind to despite repeated challenges to her health. She loved to hunt and fish. At the time of her death, Jessica was a junior in the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, majoring in wildlife science--a Dean's list student and a Quinney Scholar. Jessica was a member of Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church and taught Sunday school there prior to leaving for college. On August 16, 2006, in a joyful celebration of love and triumph over adversity, Jessica wed Scott Tayon, a young man uniquely suited by God to be her helpmeet and soul mate.
Jessica is survived by her dear husband Scott of Grantsville; parents Alan and Linda Clark of Erda; in-laws Janet and Leonard Tayon of Grantsville; sisters Janelle Clark (Tom Arnold), nephew Quinn and neice Kiara of Grantsville; sister Melissa Taylor (AJ Taylor) of Grantsville; maternal grandparents John and Helen Hovestadt of Greene, Maine; paternal grandmother Anna Clark of Ft. Myers, Florida; and several aunts and uncles.
The family would like to express its deep appreciation to the doctors at Primary Children's Medical Center, University Hospital, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, particularly doctors Richard Black, S. V. Karwande, Mark Elstad, Marshall Smith, Srinivas Chakravarthy, and Wolf Samlowski for the outstanding and compassionate care they provided and for the extra years we were able to share with Jessica. We bear this loss with gratitude for all that God has allowed Jessica to do and be in this life, knowing that she is now in her Savior's arms, breathing freely and partaking of all the joys Heaven has to offer.
Visiting hours at Tate Mortuary, 110 South Main Street, Tooele on Friday, January 19, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m. A celebration of Jessica's life/memorial service at Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church, 12883 South 1300 East, Draper on Saturday, January 20, 2007, at 10 a.m. Interment in the Grantsville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jessica Clark Tayon Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5200.
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The four-leafed clover was one of Jessi's favorite symbols. She even had one tattooed onto her right hip. She liked four-leafed clovers because they represent "luck" and she always felt she was very blessed and one of the "luckiest" people on earth. She said they reminded her of the cross upon which Jesus paid the price for her sins.
