Jessica Dolores Paulino

Jessica Paulino, a woman whose heart was big enough to hold everyone she met, passed away on September 3, 2026, at the age of 44. Born on May 11, 1982, she made her home in the City of Rochester, New York, where she filled the lives of those around her with warmth, laughter, and a kindness that asked for nothing in return. Her passing has left a quiet ache in the many hearts she touched, and an emptiness that will not easily be filled.

To know Jessica was to be loved by her. She was giving and compassionate in a way that came as naturally to her as breathing. If someone needed something, she would hand it over without a second thought, even if it meant leaving herself with nothing at all. She never measured what she gave against what she had left. Alongside that generous spirit lived a wonderfully goofy sense of humor, the kind that could break the tension in a hard moment and turn an ordinary day into one worth remembering. She was loyal to the core, and she was never one to judge. People could come to Jessica exactly as they were, and they would always find a welcome.

Family, for Jessica, was built from love. Her longtime boyfriend, Robert Hilliard, shared her days and her heart, and together they built a partnership rooted in devotion and years of companionship. Her best friends, Rhiena and Heidi Russell, were her chosen sisters, the people she laughed with, leaned on, and stood beside through everything life brought their way. She held a very special place in her heart for her nephews, Joey and Sammy, who brought out her playful side and her deep love for children. To each of them, Jessica was a constant source of warmth, and they were, in turn, the people who made her world feel whole.

For many years, Jessica worked as a waitress, a job that suited her caring nature perfectly. Day after day and year after year, she looked after people, making sure they felt welcomed and taken care of. A long career in that work speaks to her steadiness, her patience, and the genuine pleasure she took in making others comfortable. Yet those who loved her would say that her truest calling was simply being a friend. She was the best friend anyone could ask for, the one who showed up, listened, and stayed.

Jessica loved life, and she lived it with an open heart. Her dog, Fanny, was her faithful companion and a source of endless joy, and the bond between them was plain for anyone to see. The beach was one of her favorite places on earth, where the sound of the water and the feel of the sand seemed to bring her peace. She was happiest outdoors, drawn to fresh air and open skies in whatever form she could find them.

Above all, Jessica was passionate about helping people, and she did it without judgment. She saw the good in others even when they struggled to see it in themselves, and she offered her help freely, never asking anyone to earn it. Her love for children reflected that same open spirit: she met the world with wonder, gentleness, and a willingness to play.

She was a beautiful, amazing, big-hearted woman, the kind of best friend and partner a person is lucky to find even once in a lifetime. Losing her has left a void in so many people's lives, a space shaped exactly like her laughter, her generosity, and her love.

Jessica will be deeply missed and forever remembered by Robert, by Rhiena and Heidi, by Joey and Sammy, by her beloved Fanny, and by everyone who was blessed to call her a friend. May she rest in peace, and may the love she gave so freely continue to live on in all of them.