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Obituary: Jennifer Paller Girard

Jennifer Paller Girard
Jennifer Paller Girard
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September 18, 1986 – December 17, 2024

Jennifer Paller Girard died on December 17th after a long and valiant struggle with several debilitating diseases. She was born in Vail and lived in Eagle for most of her life. Jenn graduated from Colorado State University, received a masters degree from Adams State and a Doctorate of Behavioral Health from Arizona State University. She had a passion for helping people; especially children. During her career she took on the most difficult challenges such as volunteering at an orphanage for girls in Viet Nam, working in medical clinics for the homeless in Denver and at the Cystic Fibrosis ward at Children’s Hospital. Although her career was cut short, she impacted many lives.
Jenn lived her 38 years to the fullest, traveling to 47 countries on 6 continents; many of them with her favorite traveling partner, her mother. She also loved the Colorado mountains and enjoyed many back country jeep and road trips all over the southwest with her father. She loved spending time with Samantha, her beloved yellow lab.
Jenn was proud of her Jewish heritage and was the first Bat Mitzvah at B’nai Vail. As a testament to her determination, she taught herself Hebrew and completed the studies over the phone as B’nai Vail did not have a full time Rabbi at the time. She was profoundly affected by the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel and became a staunch supporter of Israel’s efforts to return all the hostages to their homes.
Jenn fought through pain and suffering for the last few years of her life and had to give up most of the things she loved. In spite of all her trials she remained positive and even managed to write a book in her last few months of life.
Despite trying many treatments, her body finally gave up and she passed away at home with her parents and family dog, Jed. In her own words: “Thank you to everyone who touched my life in some way, taught me some lesson. Live big, don’t waste a moment.”


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