Jolie Lauri Bialke

She was our miracle baby because she was 2 months early and only weighed 3 pounds, 2 ounces. Her lowest weight after birth was 2 pounds, 14 ounces. She was a fighter and continued improving, so much so that we were allowed to bring her home before she hit the required 5-pound mark.

Her Aunt Joni and Uncle Kevin are her godparents. Joni is the one who thought up her name, Jolie. It is a combination of aunties Joni and Julie. We thought it was completely unique until we discovered it is also French for “pretty”. How appropriate.

If you know the Esmay family, you know what a large, loving, supportive, amazing clan she was blessed to be born into.

Jolie had a very special bond with her Grandma Sally and Grandpa Don. We lived only a mile away as the crow flies, so we were always over there.

When Jolie was 2 ½ she became a big sister to Trevor. They are your typical brother-sister combo, having the usual spats, but fiercely protective of each other and obviously had a strong, loving bond.

Jolie’s very first, very best friend was Sarah Wald (now Porisch). Sarah’s Mom, Corrine, was our fabulous day care person and Jo and Sarah were the same age, so it was natural that they became best buds.

In our neighborhood Jolie had two more best friends, Suzy Blake (now Baron) and April Williamson. Those 3 were like musketeers! Having sleepovers, birthday parties, dancing, and all the things’ girls do.

High school and jobs added many more friends, including Cece, Amanda, Andrea, Brianna, Erin, and I know I’m forgetting most. And then college with Josh and Angie and Tanya.

And her close friendships extended to cousins and second cousins and so on! Family was the most important part of Jolie’s life.

Jolie and Trevor were blessed with two little sisters: Katie and Kristin Maas. And she would have adored her sweet niece, Harper and adorable nephew, Lincoln.

She attended Northside Christian School from kindergarten to 5th grade, at which point she switched to public school and attended CR Middle School and then CR High School.

In high school she developed a love for hockey, playing and watching! Specifically, the Minnesota Gophers. This was also a place that she made some of her closest friends.

Jolie also had a big love for music. As a teenager she became enthralled with boy bands, but the main love was the Backstreet Boys! Her teenage crush was big time for Nick Carter. Oi.

After high school she attended St. Cloud State for a year and then decided to take a leap across the states and moved to Florida where she worked with the student program at Disney World in Orlando. She worked at the Pinocchio Village Haus. Her ‘uniform’ was a striped German waitress dress with white apron and everything you can imagine compliments of Disney!

She finally came back to Minnesota and achieved an Associate Degree in Audio Production at IPR in Minneapolis. She also took several courses in American Sign Language on a path to become a certified interpreter.

Jolie’s employment after that was working as a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) for many amazing families, including Julie, Al, and Caleb Hawkinson. She had several jobs as a call taker and server, then found an occupation that was truly fulfilling to her as a PARA within Anoka-Hennepin School District.

Through these years Jolie gathered many, many incredible friends. They will be deeply missed by her.

Unfortunately, due to chronic migraines, Jolie was forced to go on disability.

Jolie’s world became perfect on October 5, 2015, when she gave birth to her amazing daughter, Esmay Marie. From that moment on, her life was fiercely devoted to her little girl. Her Ezzie May. Everyone who knows Jolie knows Esmay. Two peas in a pod. Everything she did, she did for Esmay. Absolutely everything.

In 2019 her life brightened again when she met Shane. They had an immediate bond and Jolie was in love. She enveloped his little 2-year-old, Charlie, into her nest and they became a family.

Unexpectedly, on a day that should have been a celebration (August 13, 2020-her Gramma Sally’s 100th birthday), Jolie was experiencing a debilitating migraine and took her medications, which turned out to be an accidental toxic combination, and stopped breathing. Shane called 911 and attempted CPR and the paramedics were able to get a heartbeat eventually, but tragically it was too late. At Mercy Hospital, where she was transported, tests concluded that her brain was no longer functioning, and her organs were shutting down.

Jolie’s last heartbeat was at 3:02 am, Friday August 14, 2020.

When you hear the statement that losing a child is a parent’s worse nightmare, I can tell you those words do not describe the pain and despair and grief that happens. I am writing this 4 years later and the grief is still unbelievable and excruciating. Still feel like I am drowning. But the things that keep my head above water are my faith in Jesus, my amazing son Trevor, and the light of my life (and Jolie’s), my granddaughter Esmay.

If you knew Jolie, you were blessed.

ADJECTIVES OF JOLIE TAKEN OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER HER DEATH

Loving Special

Beautiful, inside and out Biggest heart

Thoughtful mother Everyone’s best friend

Fierce Mom A blessing

Caring Proud Mama

Sweet Kind

Funny Energetic

Bright Amazing

Like a sister Great friend

Incredible A queen

Gentle soul Bright light

Thoughtful Inspiring

Loved deeply Special

Touched many souls Generous

Bright star Amazing

Pink and sparkly

Biggest heart

Best friend

Buddy

The universe will not be the same without her in it.

She had a heart as big as the world she lived in.

JOLIE LAURI BIALKE – Service Info

Pall Bearers:

Josh Beck-Esmay (Cousin)

Collin Esmay (Cousin)

Jay Esmay (Uncle)

Joel Esmay (Uncle)

John Esmay (Uncle)

Al Hawkinson (Uncle)

Kevin Hogie (Uncle)

Steve Michaels (Friend)

Honorary Pall Bearers:

Mariah Esmay (Cousin)

Caleb Hawkinson (Cousin)

Mandie Harrison (Cousin)

Writing for inside of brochure:

Jolie’s Song; Little One, Pretty One

This song was written by her Aunt Julie and sung by both Julie and Jolie’s Aunt Joni at her baptism on October 31, 1982

Little one, pretty one, God’s gift of joy.

Share with us the secret of your magical love.

A smile so bright despite the fight that greeted your first days;

Your hand so small, touched us all with hope and wonder.

Thank you, Lord, for this child adored. May she grow in grace and wisdom.

Through her we’ve seen how much we mean to each other and to God.

Little one, such a precious one, we’ll gently hold and guide you.

Though here not long, you’ve taught a song that fills our hearts with praise.

Little one, pretty one, God’s gift of joy.