DEC 8, 2019
Obituary for Kjersten, William, Nelson Schladetzky
Kjersten, William, Nelson Schladetzky
Schladetzky, Kjersten Marie William David Nelson Sidney These three precious lives were tragically taken from us on December 1, 2019. Kjersten was a devoted mother, colleague and friend to many. Kjersten Marie Ellingson was born on Friday, June 13, 1980. KJ was a voracious reader as a youngster, often sneaking books into class to read during the school day. She grew up with a passion for musical theater, working unpaid internships to obtain the necessary experience to further her career in the arts. After graduating from the University of St. Thomas, Kjersten worked in various positions in the local arts community, following her interests. Eventually, she was a Program Manager for the American Museum of Natural History in New York which led to her work for Tessitura Network, implementing unified systems at arts and culture organizations around the country. She adored the people she worked for and with, and had found her calling in the work world. Kjersten was a fiercely loyal friend, a wonderful listener, a brilliant leader, thoughtful, insightful and a rare breed of person whose ambition took her to great heights without sacrificing any of the wonderful qualities that made people naturally gravitate towards her. While she could easily command a room, she was always her authentic self, whether she was in negotiations with a brand new client or having drinks with friends she'd known forever. She loved her family, friends, job, and coworkers with everything she had. Above all, she loved her boys. William and Nels were all it for her. In recent months, as the primary person in their lives, she managed to ride herd over the boys with an extra sparkle in her eye and an enthusiasm for everything they did together, nurturing each boy with open curiosity for who he was becoming. Whether in the pictures she posted of the boys, or when hanging with Whittier Elementary parents and friends, her contentment was obvious.
Our William entered this world on November 4, 2008. He was an early, voracious reader (remind you of anyone?), a veritable sponge for knowledge, and always curious and attentive. He loved working on jigsaw puzzles or playing board games, and would play just about anything as long as it had rules, even if he made them up himself. He would eat popcorn or fruit anytime. He cherished maintaining special friends from his daycare days, and growing into new friendships with his Whittier Elementary gang, playing touch football at every opportunity they had. He loved school and was a very involved student as a student ambassador and safety patrol member. At his last conference his teacher stated that she was "so impressed with his caring heart and warm gestures towards his fellow classmates." Don't you wish we could all be so described? Most of all he loved his mom and his little brother Nels. He loved to try to "parent" Nels, to which KJ would often respond, "William, I'm the parent." Kjersten always described William as a rules follower, operating inside the box.
And then there's Nelson. He never even saw the box! Our quirky little Nelson was born on October 24, 2011. Quiet and rather shy as a toddler, he became this neat little boy, vibrating with energy. It is lucky William was a patient big brother because Nels was always trying to start something. He was the consummate instigator. He loved imaginative play with superheroes and Pokemon. While Kjersten and William were the builders of elaborate Lego projects, Nelson was the storymaker. He loved blackout bingo and hide-and-seek (the sardine version) at Grandma and Grandpa's. He loved Grandma's oatmeal and Grandpa's secret handshake. And he liked wearing pajamas. Anytime. A second grader, he loved his Whittier friends, classmates, and special friends from his daycare days. Whereas KJ described William as a rules follower, Nels was always pushing the limits.
[…]
