Jaycee Claudine (Kam) Troncoso-Grande, 39, born September 15, 1979 in West Covina, CA, passed peacefully surrounded by her family at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, NV on the afternoon of July 18, 2019. She raced with cancer to the very end, and crossed the finish line when she was ready; when she knew her family was together to cheer her across, and no sooner.
Jaycee’s passion in life was teaching. To everyone she was a teacher; always providing knowledge, guidance, support, and most of all inspiration. After raising and teaching her sons until they were school age, she earned a degree in elementary education so she could touch the lives of numerous other children. Well beyond reading, writing, math, social studies, and science, she taught her own children, her students, her friends and family to believe in themselves, believe they could achieve more than they ever imagined, believe “it’s weird to not be weird,” believe each day would be better than the day before, and to believe the ultimate gift to give oneself is to encourage, support, and at all times, forgive others. Amongst her colleagues she was referred to as “the boy whisperer.” Many wondered how the most challenging students could defy expectations in her room. She would be the first to say that she did nothing special, she just loved them as her own, believed they could be great, and took the time to listen and learn who they really were. Could it BE that simple? It really is.
Jaycee was fierce and never to be underestimated. Though only 4’ 9”, she towered above any challenge life brought in her path, and no one and nothing was ever able to keep her from reaching her dreams. She finished her third marathon on June 2, 2019, not even aware that the cancer she already defeated in 2016, had returned to try and keep her from the finish line. She often said she wanted to be a mermaid, and when the time was right, somehow she would have made that dream come true as well.
Most important to her was being a mother. Everything she ever did was for her children and stepchildren. She would lesson plan all day Sunday to show them the importance of hard work, especially when others are depending on you to be great every day. She ran each race to show that by setting goals, anything difficult is possible. She would watch sports, follow ESPN, and cheer on the Eagles to show her boys she shared in anything they were passionate about. She loves her children, and left them with all of the love and knowledge they will need to make themselves proud and achieve great things.
Jaycee is survived by her spouse, Jonathon Grande; children, Bruce (18), Grant (16), and Mason (13); stepchildren, Jacob (14), Sophia (12), and Ryan (11); parents Russell and Terri Kam; sister, Valan Kam; niece, Emily Kam (8); grandmother, Betty “Nanny” Brown; Uncle Jesse (Sally); Aunt Lisa; Uncle Harry (Tanja and son Chris); cousin, Mandy (Travis and daughter Madison); and cousin, Lauren (David and daughter Lyla and son Cruz); and her beloved dogs, Philly and Chia.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Harry “Papa” Brown, great grandfather, JC “Papa” Duff, and her cherished great grandmother Claudine “Nanny” Duff.
In lieu of flowers, an account has been established to assist her boys. Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank to the Jaycee Tronsoco-Grande Memorial Fund or sent to the family:
Jaycee Troncoso-Grande Memorial Fund
℅ Jonathon Grande & Russell Kam
64 Arcadian Shores St.
Las Vegas, NV 89148.
Please make all payments to Jaycee Troncoso-Grande Memorial Fund.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18