I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life
And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time
--Cleopatra, The Lumineers
Jesen Alder Fagerness’s infectious laugh was silenced, his sparkling blue eyes closed, suddenly on the morning of June 29, 2019.
Jesen was born in Lynnwood, Washington in 1973. After a wild and storied childhood throughout the Pacific Northwest, he graduated from North Central High School in Spokane, Washington, in 1991, and Eastern Washington University in 1997 with a B.S. in Chemistry.
He was the lead singer/songwriter and harmonica player of the Carcinogens, a “bluesabilly” (blues/rockabilly) band that rocked the Spokane music scene in the late 90s. He once met Eddie Veder and thought he was kind of a jerk.
Jesen moved to Boston in 1999. He found a passion and a knack for genetics, working most notably as a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, and The Broad Institute, eventually serving as Director of Genomic Research in the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit at MGH from 2008 to 2011. He co-authored 48 published papers including leading work on the genetics of age-related macular degeneration, obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette Syndrome. He brought people and projects together, and helped so many find a path in science as a mentor and connector.
Being somewhat of an overachiever, he graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 2008. He was also one of the designers of Helix, a card game based on the principles of genetics, which was exhibited at MoMa in 2011, as part of the Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects interactive exhibit.
Jesen shuffled off the 9 to 5 coil and became a self-employed consultant in 2013, combining and leveraging his knowledge and experience in science, medicine, law, and technology. The flexibility offered by this new gig allowed him to travel extensively, indulging in his lust for adventure, exploration, and greater understanding of this world, both natural and man-made. His favorite trip was to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu with his father, aunt, and lifelong family friends. His unchecked bucket list items included diving the Great Barrier Reef before it disappeared, and going on a narwhal safari in the arctic.
Those who knew him best say he finally met his match in 2014, when he met his future wife, Emily. They were married in 2017, pledging to continue to bring out the best one another an intimate ceremony on Lummi Island. They settled into the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston they were eager to make their forever home. They welcomed a beautiful son on Saint Patrick’s Day, 2019, and every day for the last 15 weeks of Jesen’s life he was grateful for his child’s good health and sweet nature. He could be spotted almost daily in Hemenway Park or strolling around the Pope’s Hill neighborhood with the infant carrier on his chest, dog leash in one hand, iced coffee in the other. He loved skiing, hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and fly fishing. He devoured news about politics and sports, and loved lively debates about each. He loved lively debates about any topic, really.
Jesen loved nature and technology equally. He loved art, but thought some modern art was frankly a little ridiculous. He was a fantastic singer and even better dancer. He was both the person you wanted at a wild party and in a quiet moment. He was an avid storyteller. Some of his stories were even true. He was a teacher and a confidante. He was creative, curious, and analytical. He was compassionate and generous. He understood that love is a renewable resource; that the more you gave the more you had. He pushed people to love themselves, for that was the only way they could truly love another. He brought people together, creating communities wherever he went. He genuinely lived with gratitude, setting an example for all who knew him. He left no love unspoken and no appreciation unsaid. He was fiercely loyal and protective of his people. Above all, he was authentic and kind.
He is predeceased by his stepmother, Sherry Fagerness. He leaves his wife, Emily LaCroix and son Murray Fagerness of Boston; his mother, Elissa Gordon of Whiting, New Jersey; his father Doug Fagerness, stepmother Ruth Pratt, and stepsister Kelly Lattin, of Coeur D’ Alene Idaho; his Aunt Karen Medina of Virginia Beach, Aunt Marcy Kjeldsen and Uncle Ron Burich of Princeton, New Jersey; his Aunt Marla and Uncle Steve Morrow of Ferndale, Washington; his Aunt Cheryll and Uncle David Blair of Bellingham, Washington; cousin Alyssa Goff and nephews Hunter and Nicholas of Richmond, Virginia; cousin Ellen Blair of Seattle, Washington; cousins John Blair and Meagan Allen of Walla Walla, Washington; cousins Kathryn and Brian Merris and nephew Tommy of Bellingham, Washington; and Jay Blair of Los Angeles, California.
Although the foregoing are his family members, he also cherished his “framily” (friends who are family) with the light of a thousand stars. And, like the stars in the night sky, they are too numerous to list. He is trusting them all to guide his wife and son as they continue to navigate their journey into now uncharted waters.
Like all members of the human race, he experienced his share of loss and hardship. Unlike all humans, though, he believed how you reacted to those things was a choice. And he chose gratitude. Always gratitude. He chose to move forward. Daily. Because, he said, there is no other way.