Killed Tewksbury Woman Remembered As Caring, Driven

TEWKSBURY, MA — Jennifer Kalicki, 39, of Tewksbury, was a caring, diligent person, who loved her dog, Bentley, her designer shoes, and her friends and family. She was killed in her home on Sept. 15.

Kalicki grew up in Billerica, graduating from Billerica High School in 1998. After graduating, she worked for the state of Massachusetts, for MassHealth, the Department of Youth Services, and most recently in human resources at the Tewksbury State Hospital. While working full time, she earned an associate degree from Middlesex Community College and a bachelor degree, from UMass Lowell.

According to her lifelong friend Samantha Bilotta and her brother Matt Kalicki, Jennifer Kalicki was a deeply caring person who would welcome anyone into her family, including coworkers and her friends' families.

"Everything she did, pretty much, she was ruled by emotion and her heart," said Matt Kalicki, of New Hampshire, who lived with her for over a decade until just last year.

"Nobody had anything bad to say about her," said Bilotta, Kalicki's best friend of 30 years. "She was that person you remembered, always a smile on her face."

Kalicki stayed in touch with people she hadn't seen in years on social media, and became close with coworkers.

Bilotta, Kalicki, and a third friend, Laurie Burton, religiously went out for dinner once a month, often to the Melting Pot or Bertucci's. "She absolutely loved those two places," said Bilotta.

She was always ready to help; if a friend was shopping for a car, said her brother, Kalicki took it upon herself to figure out the best options for them.

"She was really smart. She knew how to find things, knew how things should be done. And because she knew the processes and she cared about her friends, if things were not going their way, she'd stick up for them," said Matt Kalicki.

And she was determined. She worked full time, sometimes multiple jobs, and sometimes taking night and online classes, since she was 18, said her brother.

"She was really driven," Matt added.

Both Bilotta and Matt Kalicki remember Kalicki for her meticulous record-keeping.

"She's the only person I know, my age, that still balanced her checkbook," said Bilotta. "She would have given you the last dollar in her bank account, and she would've tracked it on one of her many spreadsheets. Not because she wanted it back, just because she wanted to know where every dollar went."

That included her designer fashion — Kalicki still had the original receipt, in the original box, for her beloved pair of Louboutin shoes, her brother said.

"Those were her babies," said Matt Kalicki. He added that she never paid full-price for her designer shoes and purses, always finding deals instead. She also did her nails every weekend, with intricate designs and professional chemicals, he said.

Her other baby was her dog, Bentley, a Yorkshire terrier. "She even had a matching Coach coat for him at one point," said Matt Kalicki.

Often, said Bilotta, Kalicki would load Bentley into her car, and drive on her own to spend a week at the beach. "She loved the beach more than anything ... She went on many vacations by herself."

For a period, Bilotta said, Kalicki habitually entered radio contests. "She called me one day, and said, 'You're never going to believe it: I won a contest. I'm going to New York City for the weekend, to see Paris Hilton.' She was releasing a CD. It was all-inclusive—airplane, hotel, tickets to the club. She said, 'you're coming with me.' We had the time of our lives."

Bilotta continued, "That was the perfect thing for her to win. That was Jen. We've never laughed more in our lives than then."

In addition to Matt Kalicki and Samantha Bilotta, Jennifer is survived and remembered by her mother Katherine Gadd and mother's husband George; father George Kalicki; grandmother Ksenja Kalicki; aunt Patricia Fournier and husband Ray, their daughter Maria Fournier, their son Joseph Fournier and wife Jessie, with their two children Mason and Declan; her Uncle Ricky Lennox and wife Gail, their daughter Sarah Pananas and husband Angelo and their 3 children, daughter Kimberly Thornton and husband Dan and their son; and friends including Laurie Burton. and Junie Joseph.

Kalicki's loved ones are hosting a candlelight vigil in her honor on the grounds of the Tewksbury State Hospital grounds, 365 East Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876 on Saturday, September 28 at 6PM. Please use the East Street entrance and follow the signs directing to the location and parking.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 29 at the Andover Christian Center at 16 Haverhill Street, Andover, MA 01810 between 2:30 PM and 5 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be sent in Jennifer’s name to Alternative House, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and aiding those in need: Alternative House, P. O. Box 2100, Lowell, MA 01853.