Jason Lesmeister, loving husband and father, passed away suddenly at the age of 43 on Friday, October 23, 2020. Jason was born in Miles City, MT on January 30, 1977 to Steve Lesmeister and Carolyn (Owens) Jernigan. He lived with his parents until their divorce, after which time he lived with his mother, Carolyn. They moved around the country quite a bit, which gave Jason a chance to meet a lot of friends in many states and cities. He was a wonderfully outgoing person, knowing no stranger. Anyone who met Jason was sure to never forget him.
At the age of 21 he came to visit his father and stepmother in Newcastle, WY in 1998, where he met the love of his life and best friend, Sarah (Drake) Lesmeister. They met at a football game that his stepbrother was playing, and have been inseparable ever since. The two were married on March 16, 2000 at the Justice of the Peace. Jason and Sarah had their first child, a son, named Devon Paul Lesmeister, on June 24, 1999. Jason was instantly in love with him. The small family moved from Wyoming to North Carolina in 2000.
On August 14, 2001, the family grew by one when Jason and Sarah's daughter, Kaitlyn Paige Lesmeister, was born. In 2003, the family decided they wanted to be closer to family, so they moved back to Wyoming. Jason was somewhat of a jack of all trades. He was extremely intelligent, had a biting wit, had a sarcastic sense of humor at times, and loved to tell "dad jokes".
Jason suffered through several years of addiction and struggled with some inner demons for several years. The last few years he had conquered his addictions and his demons were quieting and seemed under control. Jason was a man of Faith through all of this and has never wavered in his Faith. Through all of the ups and downs of Jason's life, he was continuously loved wholly and with great intensity, the same way he always loved his family.
Jason is survived by his loving wife, Sarah Lesmeister; his two children, Devon Lesmeister and Kaitlyn Lesmeister (Eric Gonzalez); his mother, Carolyn Jernigan; his stepmother, Sheryl Lesmeister; brothers, James (Peter) Vivian-Mateo, Craig (Esper) Lesmeister, and Jesse (Amanda) Lesmeister; mother-in-law, Laura (Wayne) Oney; and brothers-in-law, Matt Drake (Megan Martin) and Bill Hunter (Kelly Page); as well as numerous aunts and uncles, including Linda (Ed) Matthews, nieces and nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Steve Lesmeister, and both his maternal and fraternal grandparents.
Jason was a wonderful soul and will be missed more than words can express. He was and will continue to be loved with great intensity.
A celebration of Jason's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2020 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rapid City.