Kimberly Marie Jessup enjoyed her final swim in the beautiful waters of Hawaii while enjoying the invitation to share the family vacation of one of her best friends. She unexpectedly left friends and family behind on Wednesday, May 4, 2011.
Kimberly was born in Charleston, SC on May 26, 1981. She moved to Rocky Mount, NC where she acquired her K thru 12 education, graduating from Rocky Mount Senior High School. She went on to attend NC State University where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Communications with a minor in Business. Upon graduation Kimberly worked as a publicist promoting a NASCAR Busch series team. She then had the good fortune of joining B.A.S.S. as a Publicist promoting its television coverage of the B.A.S.S. Elite Series tournaments and the Bassmaster Classic. She progressed from her coverage of B.A.S.S. to publicizing ESPN’s coverage of NASCAR. Kimberly developed a love for water, competitive swimming, and travel at a very young age when she would travel to Detroit, MI to attend “Camp Kathleen” for the summer hosted by her Aunt Kathleen Samul and her cousin Alex at the Detroit Yacht Club. Active in outdoor sports, she enjoyed her publicist involvement with ESPN’s Outdoor Games and special events while headquartered in the Orlando ESPN offices. She pursued personal fitness and competed in local triathlon competitions. She was an active member of the Orlando Chi Omega Sorority and the Junior League of Greater Orlando, contributing her time and energy to public service and charitable causes. The highlight of Kimberly’s ESPN career was pitching ESPN’s coverage of NFL Monday Night Football and the network’s coverage of Super Bowl week. Kimberly relocated with ESPN to West Hartford, CT last fall. She was joined by her fiancé, Nathan Taylor of Orlando, FL. Having lived in the south her first 28 years and accustomed to mild winters, she was treated to record snowfalls and the opportunity to engage in winter sporting activities unavailable in the south. She loved her job and her interaction with her talented coworkers in the ESPN organization. Kimberly was full of vitality and optimism and believed no problem was too big to solve. In addition to her many friends at ESPN and in the worldwide media, she leaves behind her mother Renee Poirier Jessup and special friend Glynn Rose of Rocky Mount, NC, father Roy Franklin Jessup and his wife Vonnie Leopard Jessup of Goose Creek, SC, one sister Katherine Virginia Jessup of Denver CO, her step sister Merin Mitchum Williams of Charleston, SC, and step brothers Ainsley Mitchum of Tallahassee, FL and Logan Boyette of Ladson, SC, and fiancé Nathan Taylor. She will also be missed by her many aunts, uncles, cousins, her Jack Russell Terrier Roxy, and her two cats, Pickle and Toby.
