Our beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Jessica Wynne MacDonald Mott, passed away suddenly in her home at the age of 46 on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Jess was funny, compassionate, smart, goofy, and deeply loved by her family, friends, and coworkers.  She loved gaming (particularly RPGs and MMOs), reading (mostly fantasy novels and trashy yaoi), and the NHL. She joked about being a crazy cat lady with her 6 rescued cats, and was excited to be working on a tattoo sleeve featuring her eldest child's incredible art.

Jessica worked as a Registered Nurse at the Sky View Nursing Center in Hurley, WI, where she was adored by coworkers, residents, and their families.  In 2021, she took a 2-year hiatus from her nursing career to care for her father after he suffered a stroke.  Jessica earned her RN from Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, Michigan in 2015.  Previously, she studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at Smith College in Massachusetts.

Jess grew up in Waupaca, WI, where she started playing ice hockey at age 5.  At age 8, Jess and her family moved to Wheaton, IL, where she developed deep lifelong friendships with her classmates.  For her secondary education, she attended St. Mary's Academy in Nauvoo, IL, and Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  While at Wayland, Jess was on the field hockey and downhill skiing teams, spent a summer abroad in Norway, and a full year abroad in Germany.  Jess loved to travel, both overseas and on epic road trips around the US with her brother and friends.

It was during her days playing Everquest that Jess met her future husband Richard Mott.  Together they raised 2 amazing kids, Shuri (17, born Jhaela), and Percy (15, born Rydia).  For the past 18 years, Jess focused on being a loving mom while developing her career.

Jess is survived by her children Shuri and Percy, her ex-husband Richard Mott, her brother Graeme MacDonald, her sisters Kim Finley and Karen Hemmen, and her parents John and Barb MacDonald.  Jessica will be missed not only by her immediate family, but by her many cousins, aunts, and uncles, with whom she shared deeply trusted relationships for her entire life.  She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Graeme and Ruth Cook Stewart, and paternal grandparents, John and Lawilda MacDonald.

We will miss you forever, Jess.  You've left a hole in our hearts that can never be filled.

The Visitation will be held on Saturday February 7, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM with a Funeral Service at 4:30 PM at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 North Main Street, Wheaton, IL 60187.

A Memorial account is pending, and will be used as an education and support fund for her two surviving children.  If you're interested in contributing, please reach out to Graeme.

We're all made of starstuff.