Jessica McLerran

December 24, 1982 – May 25, 2023

Jessica Ruth McLerran, 40, suffered a major brain bleed and passed away peacefully on May 25, 2023, with her family by her side.

Jessica was born on Dec. 24, 1982, to parents Ron and Debbie Kerkes. She grew up in Cheney, Washington with her three sisters Jana, Amy, and Mandy who were her best friends. She attended schools there and she graduated high school with honors in 2001 alongside her sweetheart Ethan McLerran. The two were married a year later in the Spokane Washington Temple on July 13, 2002. Jessica was a lifelong faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The couple’s first three children Evelyn, Brittany and Madison were born while Jessica was attending Eastern Washington University, where she graduated with honors. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in speech disorders, Jessica took a break from her education to focus on her children and her dream of having a large family. Ethan Jr., Alexis and Xander were born during this time.

She then decided to pursue her dream of working with children with autism and speech disorders and enrolled in school once again. This time she earned her Master of Science in clinical speech-language pathology from Northern Arizona University. Braxton joined the family while Jessica was in the midst of her master’s program and yet she once again graduated with honors.

Before she graduated, she accepted a job as a speech pathologist with the Moses Lake School District, commuting an hour and a half between Cheney and Moses Lake each day for the first two years. In 2017, Jessica and Ethan finally moved the family to Moses Lake. It was here that their youngest son Jonas was born.

2020 was a monumental year for this family. They purchased a home on a property where they could begin building the farm they had dreamed of for so long. Almost a year ago Jessica was able to achieve her career goal by joining the private practice at Autism Therapy Services LLC.

Jessica and Ethan have shared a lifelong love of music that began in fifth-grade band. Their passion and talents have been passed along to their children, who are gifted with a natural sense of rhythm, beautiful singing voices and an ability to play many musical instruments just like their parents.

Jessica is survived by her husband Ethan; eight children Evelyn (20), Brittany (18), Madison (17), Ethan Jr. (16), Alexis (14), Xander (11), Braxton (6) and Jonas (5); grandparents Enoch and Donna Lybbert of Gallop, New Mexico; parents Ron and Debbie Kerkes of Moses Lake, Washington; sisters Jana (Ken) Hardy of Moses Lake, Washington, Amy Hemenway of Manhattan, Montana and Mandy Mitchell of Moses Lake, Washington; seven nieces, seven nephews and one great-niece.

Services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Nelson Road in Moses Lake, Washington at 10 a.m. on June 3, following viewing at 9 a.m.

Please express your thoughts and memories at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Washington.