Jesse David Carlson

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Lake Forest High School Columbia College Chicago

Jesse Carlson Obituary

Carlson, Jesse David
Jesse David Carlson, born July 5, 1977 in Waukegan, IL passed November 14, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN. Jesse attended Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest High School, College of Lake County, and Columbia College. He worked at Wildlife Discovery Center in Lake Forest; loved the outdoors, reptiles and raptors, and was a beautiful songwriter on his guitar. He is survived by his parents, Catherine Sheehan and Juergen Samimy of Lake Forest, and Rowen & Carol Carlson of Round Lake Beach, IL; grandparents Patricia Wilkins and Margaret Carlson of Waukegan; siblings Kait (Erik) Espeland and Elizabeth Brooke Carlson of Minneapolis, MN. A private service was held in Minneapolis. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Wildlife Discovery Center of Lake Forest in Jesse's memory.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Highland Park News from Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Jesse Carlson

11 Entries

Ian (Dale) Long

January 22, 2024

I´m not really sure how or where to start, so, in keeping with tradition, I just will.

I can still remember just like it was yesterday the first time Jesse and I met.

It was July 1994, and what an amazing summer night in Fox Lake. We had just meet for the first time yet we hit it off as if we were all brothers somehow separated at birth. Jesse, Perry and I were smoking Newports and having some drinks, although Perry was not drinking as he was driving. The three of us discussed music and how amazing we all agreed Nirvana was and how we all would love to make music. Jesse played guitar, Perry played bass and I drums, it just seemed like fate.

Fast forwards a few weeks and next thing we knew, we were a band and Erected Wish was born. We spent thousands of hours just finding and fine tuning that sound and feeling of what we wanted to gift others with. Like most bands, we too experienced members come and go, but it was always Jesse, Perry and myself; we were the foundation of Erected Wishes sound. After much back and forth, we had decided to try one more time to add an additional guitar player to the sound, and that´s when Mark joined. Shortly there after we played our first show, it was finally happening. The show was good, well, as good as a first show could be. Time went on, and more practice and shows came and went until winter of 1995 I hurt my back and was laid up for the better part of a year. I moved back to Rockford to heal up and get healthy, and that´s when I knew Jesse and I had an amazing friendship. See Jesse would call and check up on me daily, encouraging me to keep pushing through and that we would be jamming before long.

Jesse and I spent what must have been hundreds of hours talking on the phone over those eleven months planning and writing material and discussing art work for our first "record". That was the plan to make up for lost time. Jesse, on numerous occasions drove or arranged for visits to keep my spirit up and focused to get better. Jesse always believed and refused to let me quit.

Time passed by, and true to our promise we once again were back at it making wonderful loud, distorted, punk infused rock. This is were we felt at home.

We set a date to visit and schedule our studio sessions at Smart Studios WI. Walking in and seeing the facility and talking with the engineer we all knew this is where we wanted to capture our sound, this being were Nirvana recorded Nevermind was completely coincidental ; ).

We recorded our songs and decided to have tapes made, yes, you read that right tapes instead of cds. Our thought was everyone has a tape player not everyone has a CD player, Oy vey!

Things were going good that is until we got a "manager". It just got weird after that and from there our paths sadly parted.

I often thought Jesse, my dear friend and wondered what if? Finally, in 2017, I packed up the family and said we are going to visit family in Illinois, and I was going to stop by our old hangouts and Jesses dad's house and inquire about Jesse. I would come to find out sadly Rowen no longer resided there and the trail ran cold. Well, so much for having Jesse meet my family and have them meet such a wonderful, kind, and fun loving person. It wasn´t until Recently with the passing of my mother that I was moved to search for you once again and became aware of your passing.

I am so sorry for not reaching out sooner and for not being a better friend to you Jesse. I will always remember you and our friendship. You will alway live in my heart, so until we meet again, on three.

Ian (Dale) Long
Brother, Friend, and Drummer

Kevin Fox

January 20, 2023

I knew Jesse in middle and high school in Lake Forest in the early 90's. He was a good friend and it is a shame we drifted apart after he left LFHS. Sad to just find out about his passing now. Many sympathies to the family.

Jim Redden

July 28, 2022

I met Jesse in 1999 at Monday Night Open Mic at Friar Tucks Pub in Chicago. I was impressed by his musical talent and the depth and sweetness of his soul. We spent many nights back then jamming on guitar and discussing music and theology. Unfortunately I lost contact with him a few years later but would still think about him from time to time. Decided one day to check up on my old friend on the Internet to see what he was up to these days. Very saddened to hear that he passed. My sympathies to Rowan and family.

January 15, 2010

Jesse at his sister Kait's wedding

September 24, 2009

Dear Jesse, thank you for being such a loving friend to my daughter, Wendy. I know you were a truly special person. Love and thoughts from Pat Levins.

September 24, 2009

Jesse was a very sweet guy. I will miss him. I wish I had gotten to see him play guitar.

God bless.

Richard Schmitz

Jesse's Drawing of Perigrine Falcons

September 13, 2009

Wendy Levins

September 11, 2009

To know Jesse was to know a person of affecting depth and talent.

Jesse was sensitive, passionate, empathetic, thoughtful, loyal, creative and at times just plain GOOFY!

Jesse was also extremely gifted. He was a beautiful writer, a talented sketch artist and at the core, a musician.

I feel fortunate to have known Jesse. I am grateful to have been a small part of his world.

Jesse, thank you so much for sharing who you were with me. Thank you for always letting me know you cared.

I will hold you in my heart and soul forever. I will cherish the memories I have of you. I will keep you close as I move through life and look for signs of your presence. I will do my best to honor your soul, for it so deeply touched mine.

I love you Jesse.

Mimi McMahon-Anderson

December 13, 2008

To Jesse's family and loved ones:
I was so saddened to hear of Jesse's passing. We loved him dearly. I can still picture that sweet face and hear his lovely voice as he and Brad sang and played their guitars together. He holds a very special place in our hearts.
Mimi (Brad McMahon's mom)

December 3, 2008

To the family: I wish to express my deepest sympathy for your loss. Jesse will truly be missed. May you take comfort from prayer and the scriptures.
sincerely,

shinton

Kati Espeland

December 1, 2008

Jesse will be missed forever. He was an amazing brother and one of my best friends. He moved to Minneapolis about a year and a half ago to be closer to his sisters. I will continue to cherish each shared Scrabble game, rib dinner, band practice, dog walk, camp fire and shopping trip.
Jesse, I love you and miss you.
Always. Your older sister, Kati

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