Jessica

Wiedeman

Jessica (Wilhelm) Wiedeman, 38 years old, passed away at home, surrounded by family on Friday, November 6. Her precious girls, Nora and Caroline, and husband, Brandon, were the loves of her life. A plaque gifted to her by Brandon this Mother's Day clearly summed it up: Jessica was "The mom everyone wishes they had."

Throughout her battle, her faith grew and she fully trusted that it was all part of God's greater plan. She was grateful for each day and it was undoubtedly God's grace that allowed her to accept His plan, even though she would have done anything to spend more time with her family and friends.

Jessica was a beloved Chemistry teacher at East Central HS, although her teaching went far beyond the classroom. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 2013, she became a champion of all things health. She studied cancer prevention and found great insight in the book Radical Remission. In addition to her medical treatment, she also changed her diet, cleaning products, furnishings, added supplements and oils as well as a whole range of other therapies. Jessica was a warrior.

Anyone who encountered Jessica could not help but be touched by her positivity and faith. From her initial diagnosis, Jessica was purposeful in sharing her story in hopes of helping others. After numerous requests for her to do so, she created a blog "Grace & Gratitude" as well as a Facebook page entitled "Healthy Beginnings." She candidly asked for prayers, and it was in those prayers that she found the answers to what the next steps in her journey would be.

While Jessica never gave up, she also began planning a life for her family without her in it. She took daily steps to prepare them. When those around her would get down, she was the first to encourage them to change their attitude and be positive. She always managed to find the silver lining. It was Jessica's hope that in her death her girls will not be greeted with sympathy but with that same bright light of love that she carried.

Jessica was the epitome of faith, love and light. Always smiling, she would light up a room and had a contagious laugh that pulled you in. She had a way of making each friend feel as if they were her best friend, always putting 100% of herself into her relationships.

To join Brandon in one of his favorite hobbies, Jessica decided to become scuba certified. While scuba diving, Jessica became enthralled with the gracefulness of sea turtles, and they became very meaningful to her. She looked forward to seeing sea turtles during their adventures and discovered that they symbolize longevity, peace, grounding, ancient wisdom, and emotional strength; traits that Jessica portrayed all throughout her journey. She felt that they can serve as examples to us to slow down and pace ourselves so we can endure the chaos of life's transformational cycles with ease. The sea turtle appropriately became the symbol of Team Wiedeman.

Jessica will be dearly missed by Brandon, her high school sweetheart and husband of 16 years and their beautiful girls, Nora and Caroline; mom Cheryl Wilhelm; siblings Rhonda (Tim) Savage, Renee (Bob) Vaughan, Andy (Shawn) Wilhelm, Brad (Jenny) Wilhelm, and Ashley (Brian) Andres; in-laws Pam Wiedeman & Wayne Ferguson, and Greg Wiedeman; sister-in-law Brittany (Dave) Oettel; and 15 nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. She is preceded in death by her father, Ron Wilhelm, and cousins Nikki and Adam Wilhelm and Kyle Dudley.

In lieu of a visitation, a celebration of life program will be held Tuesday, November 10 at 5:00pm at All Saints Parish Life Center at 7536 Church Lane, St. Leon, IN 47060. A private family Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00am at St. Joseph's Campus, All Saints Parish. Both of these events will be streamed on YouTube and can be found by searching for All Saints Parish. Memorials in Jessica's honor can be made to Young Life (East Central or Batesville) or the Karen Wellington Foundation. The Karen Wellington Foundation is a local organization near to Jessica's heart as it focuses on LIVING with breast cancer. More information can be found at www.younglife.org and www.karenwellingtonfoundation.org. Please visit www.andres-wuestefeldfh.com to sign the guestbook and offer condolences.

In compliance with the Governor's mandate, please remember the social distancing guidelines and the recommendation of wearing of masks inside the Parish Life Center.