Laresh was born in Evanston, Illinois on May 23, 1972. Growing up in the Chicago area, he became a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs and Bears, and he developed a love of blues and jazz. He attended Morgan Park Academy, where he played baseball and tennis. While at Wesleyan University, he hosted a radio program, studied in Florence, Italy, and made lifelong friends; he then earned his Master’s degree in Education from Stanford University where he met his wife, Susanne. He taught high school Social Studies in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Austin, Texas to earn a PhD in History from the University of Texas. For one year, Laresh taught at Carroll University in Wisconsin prior to moving to Colorado to be a professor of history at Metropolitan State University of Denver. There, he particularly enjoyed teaching a food history course and a methods course for students preparing for a career teaching Social Studies.
Laresh will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Susanne, his daughters, Holly and Ella, his parents, Dr. M.R. and Theresa Jayasanker, and his sisters, Lara and Leah Jayasanker. He will also be greatly missed by his extended family and cherished friends. Hosting gatherings of those dear to him, spending time with his family, and traveling to new places brought him immense joy. He loved being a father and was incredibly proud of his two daughters. Laresh had an insatiable curiosity, a kind and helpful spirit, a love of food and drink, and a quick wit which brought laughter to those around him.
Laresh’s Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, November 30 at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary and Cemetery, 6601 S. Colorado Blvd., Centennial, CO 80121. Donations in memory of Laresh may be sent to Food Bank of the Rockies, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or the Sierra Club.
