Jessica Ann Nord

On Monday, November 22, 2021, Jessica Ann (Hafner) Nord peacefully passed away in her home at the age of 58, after a 12-year battle of breast cancer.

Jessica was born on September 6, 1963, in Minneapolis to Patricia (Manion) and James Hafner. She was the baby to her three siblings, Christopher Hafner, Rebecca Pitzer, and Melissa Sands, all of which she loved so much. Growing up, Jessica was a mischievous child that loved to dance competitively and was a daredevil around the house doing things like surfing down the stairs on her belly. She graduated from Regina High school in 1981. She went on to continue her education at the University of Minnesota and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in communications. Jessica was excited to finally get to meet her dad in heaven as for she never met him because he passed before she was born.

Jessica met David at a Halloween party in 1984. He could not resist her beauty and personality that lit up the room. They later got married on September 23, 1989. They purchased their first home in Minneapolis where they later welcomed their first son, Alexander Nord, on December 9, 1991. Jessica fell in love with becoming a mom and was a natural at it. Jessica and David built their forever home in Maple Grove in 1993. It was in that home that they brought their daughter, Alyssa (Nord) Burgett, into this world on June 19, 1994. A couple years later, Jessica talked David into a third child. On February 7, 1997, their third and final child, Spencer Nord, was born. Jessica got to be a stay-at-home mom and gave her three children the best childhood. During the summers, she would take her kids to a different water park every few weeks to keep the adventure alive.

When Spencer entered first grade in 2003, Jessica decided she would go to school with her children. She became an Educational Support Professional (ESP) at Weaver Lake Elementary. Jessica had so much love and passion for the students she worked with. She touched so many students lives throughout her 18 years there. Jessica worked her last day there on October 1, 2021, when she had to take a long-term leave to focus on her health.

Family meant everything to Jessica. She loved her husband immensely. Together they loved to go on vacations, go to the cabin, and host the best parties. Together they shared their family values with their children. Alexander loved her dedication and compassion as she would go out of her way to make sure he would succeed and to even help others. Alex also gave Jessica the title of “Grandma” when his daughter Reese Hadler Nord was born on September 29, 2020. Alyssa and Jessica shared an indescribable mother-daughter bond that grew throughout the years of bed chats, mother-daughter dates, and hour-long phone calls. Spencer enjoyed her holiday spirit and loved the time they spent together putting up the village and making Christmas cookies. Cobalt, the family dog, loved snuggling Jessica throughout her whole 12 years of treatments. Jessica got the opportunity to meet, get to know, and fall in love with her three children’s significant others, Amanda (Alex’s wife), Ryan (Alyssa’s husband), and Kelly (Spencer’s fiancé). Jessica will live on through David, Alexander, Alyssa, and Spencer in their own individual and unique ways. She will be so incredibly missed and loved forever.

Jessica was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in October of 2009. After months of radiation and chemotherapy, she was considered cancer free in July of 2010. In October 2014, our worlds came crashing down as Jessica was re-diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. Over the past 7 years, Jessica went through dozens of different treatments. She was such a strong and courageous fighter! Over the past year, Jessica’s cancer became too strong and began to reject treatments. On Monday, November 22, 2021, Jessica was finally able to be at peace. Her battle is officially over!

A visitation will be held at the Plymouth Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel on Friday, December 3, 2021, from 5-8pm. The Funeral will be at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove on Saturday, December 4, 2021, with a visitation at 10 am, service at 11am, and a luncheon to follow.  Live stream and delayed replay of service located at www.lordoflife.org/celebrationoflife

In memorial of Jessica’s 12-year battle of cancer please consider donating to www.mnangel.org.