Jesse Sherwood Jr.

Jesse Sherwood, Jr., age 68 of Stilwell, Kansas, passed away on Friday, July 21, 2023, at Advent South Hospital in Overland Park, KS. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, August 5th at Penwell-Gabel, 143rd & Black Bob, Olathe, KS. A private inurnment will take place at a later date.

Jesse was born on October 15, 1954 to Jesse and Mary Ann (Allen) Sherwood in St. Joseph, Missouri. He graduated from St. Joseph Central High School in 1972. He was an excellent student, enjoyed Scouting and achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout.

Jesse was united in marriage to Suzanne Larsen on November 10, 1990 in Kronborg, NE. Their animals were their children and they always had two rescue dogs and a horse. While living in Tuscon, Jesse loved spending time volunteering at the D-S Rescue animal rescue. Jesse also enjoyed bird watching and long drives in the country with Suzanne.

Jesse's educational journey was marked by numerous outstanding achievements. He continued his academic pursuits by earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla. Jesse's thirst for knowledge led him to achieve a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia, A Masters of Business Administration from Rockhurst, and a PhD. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Throughout his life, Jesse made significant contributions to the engineering field, working with various reputable companies, including Perspecta where he worked with Space Force, Peraton, Raytheon, Agilent, Tekelec, Illuminet, and United Telecom. He was also an esteemed instructor in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department at UMKC, where he shared his expertise with aspiring minds and encouraged the entrepreneurial spirit in his students. He was awarded Student of the Year while earning his PhD and awarded Teacher of the Year his first year of teaching at UMKC.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Jesse was an airplane fanatic and was both a licensed private and commercial pilot. He was also a certified flight instructor and was awarded Flight Instructor of the year for our region. As a partner in Executive Helicopter Solutions, based at Johnson County Executive Airport, he further embraced his passion for aviation. In addition to his engineering and aviation endeavors, Jesse was an avid Ham Radio enthusiast, and a licensed radio and broadcast engineer. His vibrant personality and technical skills led him to work as an on-air personality, board operator, and technician for several communications companies, including the Bott Radio Network.

Jesse is survived by his wife, Suzanne, of Stilwell, KS, his two brothers, Steve (Dawn) Sherwood of Peculiar, MO, and Joel (Colleen) Sherwood of Topeka, KS, sister-in-law Pat (Chris) Huston of Central City, NE, as well as several nieces and nephews; Emily (Theo) Fundermann, Katie (Matt) Schuster, Lauren Sherwood, Aaron, Chelsea and Daniel Huston, along with many great nieces and nephews.

Jesse was preceded in death by his parents.

A man of many talents and interests, Jesse was known for his love of dogs and all animals. In lieu of flowers or plants, the family requests donations to the Jesse Sherwood Memorial Fund c/o Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home or to one of these animal rescue organizations and charities in honor of Jesse's life and dedication to these beloved animals:

KC Pet Project, 7077 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64132, 816-683-1383, kcpetproject.org
B&C Equine Rescue, 740 W 125th, Carbondale, KS 66414, 785 633-3318
Barnyard Sanctuary, PO Box 167 Blairstown, NJ 07825; 973-670-4477 barnyardsanctuary.org

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