Terence "Terry" Jesse, known to many as "TJ," age 51, passed away on January 4, 2026, surrounded by the love of his mother and nine siblings.

Terry was born in Chicago in 1974 to his loving parents, Lynn (Mitchell) Jesse and the late Arthur Jesse. He spent his early childhood in Olathe, Kansas, later residing in Cary, Illinois during his high school and young adult years. Terry eventually returned to Chicago, where he spent the remainder of his adult life on the city's north side in the Rogers Park neighborhood. A proud Chicagoan, he deeply enjoyed living in the vibrant urban setting he called home.

Terry had a wide range of interests and passions. He loved reading, traveling, and biking along the Chicago lakefront, and was an enthusiastic supporter of Chicago sports teams, including the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, and Loyola basketball. Music was also a great joy in his life—particularly early rap, alternative music from the 1990s, and, most especially, the Rolling Stones. He enjoyed attending local concerts throughout the city.

Terry was the seventh of ten siblings—seven boys and three girls—and is survived by his devoted mother, Lynn; his brothers James (Ann), Kevin (Kristal), Daniel McCabe (Jessie), Patrick (Jenny), Tony (Erin), and Tim; and his sisters Jeanne, Mary (Crawford Cary), and Colleen (Gerrish Mike). He was a caring and devoted uncle to his many nieces (8) and nephews (10).

Terry's kidney disease was discovered when he was a young adult. In an extraordinary act of love, his sister Jeanne donated her kidney, which sustained Terry for twenty years until his passing.

In his early twenties, Terry developed a strong interest in local politics in McHenry County. He joined the campaign of Jack Franks, a Democratic newcomer, and played a significant role in Franks' successful 1998 bid for Illinois State Representative, making him the first Democrat to represent McHenry County in fifteen years. Terry later graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago in 2003 with a degree in political science.

Terry went on to pursue a career in law, focusing on the specialized area of attorney fee analysis. He founded and served as Executive Director of the National Association of Legal Fee Analysis (NALFA), devoting nearly twenty years to the organization. Under his leadership, NALFA became a respected resource for attorneys nationwide and has been cited or quoted by more than twenty prominent media outlets and publications.

Above all, Terry will be remembered as a good man with an infectious laugh, a beautiful smile, a sharp wit, and a deeply loving heart. His memory will live on through his siblings, nieces, and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Prince of Peace Church in Olathe, Kansas, on February 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Private burial services will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Misericordia Home in Chicago www.misericordia.com