Jessica Pauline Tarantine

Jessica Tarantine Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jessica Pauline Tarantine, 32 of Hampton Township (formerly O'Hara Township) on Oct. 18, 2024 following complications from surgery. She was a brilliant and courageous young woman who marched to the beat of her own drum. She was at her best when giving impromptu speeches that demonstrated her keen intellect, witty banter, and sense of humor. She always kept her audience laughing. She spoke at both her Gold Award ceremony and her Vassar Commencement.
Jessica spent her childhood in O'Hara Township, often exploring Little Pine Creek and its hillsides with her sister, Catie, and their cat, Snickers. At the age of three, she joined the Sensations Marching Unit and remained a member for over a decade. She became a proficient majorette, and the unit won numerous competitions in Wildwood, NJ. She joined the Girl Scouts Troop 1035, and she went on to earn the prestigious Gold Award.
She attended Fox Chapel Area High School where she was a member of the Latin Club, Women's Choir, National Honor Society, and the flag & rifle division of the Fox Chapel Area Marching Band. She received an academic achievement award in science and presented science projects at local and state science fairs. She was an avid dancer and performed at numerous dance recitals. During her summer after high school graduation, she traveled on her own to Ukraine and taught English and dance to students in the Ural Mountains.
She then enrolled at Vassar College where she earned dual degrees in Economics and Greek & Roman Studies. She was editor of the Vassar College newspaper (The Micellany News) and worked at The Poughkeepsie Journal. She also prepared tax returns for the Inupiat community in Barrow, Alaska during spring breaks. She spent two summers as a teaching assistant at the University of Hong Kong and one summer at an archeological dig outside of Rome. She also studied Economics during a semester abroad at Oxford University.
Jessica then attended NYU Law School where she earned a J.D. in law and an advanced LLM degree in tax law. While at NYU, she won a competition that awarded her a trip to Israel. During this trip, she met with Israeli parliament members and swam in the Dead Sea. She also worked at The World Bank in New Delhi, India. Upon graduation from NYU, she passed the NY, PA, and Ohio bar exams with near perfect scores. At the time of her passing, she was employed as an ERISA attorney by Bowles Rice LLP in their Southpointe office.
Jessica had many hobbies. She was an avid animal lover. She cared deeply for her two cats, volunteered at humane societies, and fostered kittens. She was a talented, self-taught artist who enjoyed drawing birds and cats. She loved plants and decorated her apartment with them. She was a world traveler from an early age and continued to explore the globe throughout her life. Some of her greatest memories included playing with giant tortoises and penguins on the Galápagos Islands and lying down beside a sleeping tiger in Cambodia. Her sister and Jessica had a friendly competition regarding who had been to most countries; Jessica was winning with over 40 countries.
Her parents often joked that they wanted to be Jessica Tarantine in their next life, because she had achieved a lifetime of accomplishments at such a young age.
Jessica is survived by her parents, Richard and Deborah Tarantine of Butler, PA (formally O'Hara Township), her sister, Dr. Catherine Tarantine, MD (Matthew) and their soon-to-be-born daughter Charlotte, her aunts, Kathy Tarantini and Dr. Ruth Tarantine, and uncles John Tarantini (Elaine) of Jasper, GA, Daniel Tarantine of Phoenix, AZ, and Robert Tarantini of Evan City, PA, and other family in Arizona, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania. She will be deeply missed by her beloved cats, Yeti and Nessa, as well as her many family members and friends.
Visitation will be on Tuesday October 29th from 6pm to 8pm and Wednesday October 30th from 2pm to 4pm and from 6pm to 8pm at Neely Funeral Home, 2208 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw.
Mass of Christian Burial Thursday the 31st at 10:30AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Middle Rd.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Animal Friends in her name.
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