Josiah “Jesse” Klingler, beloved son of Diana and Ken Klingler of Cabot, died suddenly on March 31, 2023, from an undetected-brain aneurysm. He was one week shy of his 39th birthday.
Jesse arrived on April 6, 1984, to brighten our lives and be loved by his sister, Rebekah. It wasn’t too many years before we realized he was always about a half step ahead of us. He was engaging, curious and quick-witted, which kept everyone on their toes.
As a teenager, Jesse’s interests were multifaceted. He pursued an interest in music and learned the piano and guitar. A focus on history led him to reenacting with local Revolutionary War groups. He learned to sail, kayak and water ski on Rangeley Lake in Maine, in between the time he spent learning to fix lawn mower engines with his Grampa. Skiing, and later snowboarding, at Burke Mountain with friends and family was a winter passion. Fishing with his dad was a springtime ritual. As a student at Cabot School, he found intrigue and accomplishment in mathematics. This set him on the path to become an engineer in his adult life.
Jesse earned a green and gold scholarship from the University of Vermont upon graduating from Cabot School. He entered the engineering school and proceeded to graduate with honors from the electrical engineering department four years later. After several jobs of differing complexities, he signed on with Northern Power Systems of Barre, where he focused on wind turbine coding and storage battery development. He valued his professional growth with them and continued his education of replacement technologies for fossil fuel dependence. Recently, he had been hired by NRG Systems in Hinesburg as a senior firmware engineer.
Jesse constantly challenged mainstream assumptions about the responsibilities we have as stewards of the earth. He supported multiple charities whose missions required purposeful thought about how our lives impact the planet. In keeping with his desire to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible, Jesse purchased hybrid cars and was converting his home to be solar-powered.
There are many people devastated by the loss of this remarkable man: his parents; his sister, Rebekah; brother-in-law, Michael Henderson; niece, Ariya; nephew Elijah; his many aunts, uncles and cousins; and friends and colleagues. Jesse’s memorable laughter will be missed by all who knew him.
We would like to thank all medical personnel who assisted in Jesse’s care: the ambulance crews, Central Vermont Medical Center medical staff, the University of Vermont Medical Center trauma unit staff and the organ donation staff. Their support and comfort during this unthinkable experience was greatly appreciated.
There will be no public service. In memory of Jesse, please consider a donation to an environmentally responsible charity. Please honor Jesse in a way that comforts you. A private family celebration, serenaded by Grateful Dead albums, will happen later this summer.
This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2023.
What a wonderful and outstanding man Jessie is. He will continue to live in our hearts and actions as we try to be half the alive world servant he is. With love, Sue, Marty, Grammie Mary and Steven
So hard to accept that Jesse has passed so young. His passing will leave a void in his chosen profession herein Vermont. There is a whole in his childhood neighborhood here on Thistle hill as well. What a lovely picture of him. With our sincere sympathy – Janet and Dale