Jill Recla

NORWAY- Jill Marie Recla age 37 of Norway, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, WI. She was born on April 26, 1985 in Norway, full of life with many adventures ahead. Jill was the first born of 3 children, a brother and a sister who loved to make each other smile and come up with new activities that would turn her loving parents hair grey if they actually knew. She had the best sense of humor, and sent songs to her brother and sister daily…just to fit her mood. She never met a song that she couldn’t dance to, and she felt the beat of every song in her feet or in her heart. Jill had parents that adored her to the end of the Earth. She enjoyed fishing in Alaska with her mom, and a good beer and talking with her dad. Even in her times of struggle, she knew to reach out to either of them knowing that, without a doubt, she would have support whenever she needed it. No matter where she went, she would find a small gift for each of them, or a story of what she was doing. Without question, Jill knew she had the complete and total love of her parents. Jill was the smartest person in every room, but she never made you feel beneath her. Her niece and nephews related to her on a level that was so easy. Instead of standing over you, she would sit on the floor in her sweatpants to put anyone at ease. Jill received her bachelor degree in Bioinformatics from Michigan Technological University and her PhD in Functional Genomics from the University of Maine. Post-doctorate, she worked as a Bioinformatics Analyst at the Jackson Laboratory in Maine, where she was a lead researcher into the genetic basis of many diseases. Her passion for helping people not only was in the actions she did daily, but also in her work. She loved her horse, her cats, anything green or camouflage, and foraging in the woods for rocks or herbal medicine to help with any ailment. She hated to be cold, and always had Chapstick and a pair of sunglasses accessible. Jill enjoyed floating on a tube down the river in the summer, would dive into any pond to save a new fishing lure, and could drink anyone under the table when she was up for a good time. Jill struggled with mental illness which ultimately led to her death. Even in the darkest of times, she was still determined to continue to help others. She is the definition of a true survivor, because although she is no longer in the body she had, she as a registered organ and tissue donor, will help what was estimated to be over 100 people worldwide. There is no bigger middle finger to the mental illness that consumed her than to live on in many others. Jill is survived by her parents Dan (Patti Grogan) Recla and Joan Recla; brother Nick (Aimee) Recla; sister Margo (Josiah) Juedes; three nieces and nephews Beau and Julianna Recla and Tucker Juedes; aunt Kathy McLeod; uncles Bruce (Judy Hyland) Recla, Ron (Joann) Groeneveld and Robert (Jean) Groeneveld; and several cousins that loved her. She was preceded in death by her grandparents Leonard and Genevieve Recla and Gustaf and Bella Groeneveld. Her family would like to give a special thank you to the team at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, specifically Helen and Jon, her nurses, that took the utmost care of Jill and the family. Another thank you to her boss and friend, Carol Bult, who gave Jill the time to heal throughout her struggles. A private celebration of life and burial will be held at a future date. Family request that in lieu of flowers, please consider becoming a registered organ and tissue donor at www.donatelifemichigan.org or www.donatelife.net in honor of Jill.

Jill Recla

April 26, 1985 - February 26, 2023