Jared Wayne Fordham

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Jared Wayne Fordham, who passed away on March 26, 2025, at the age of 44. A resident of Independence, Missouri since birth, Jared was born on April 16, 1980, to Barbara and Wayne Fordham; his namesake. Jared met his wife, Angela Linze working at a local movie theater. They married 5 years later on January 5, 2002 and have two amazing children, Lilly and Shelby. Jared is survived by his parents, Barbara and Wayne, wife, Angela, two children, Lilly and Shelby, brother and sister-in-law, Aaron and Mary, and a long list of loving nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Jared was an intensely inquisitive man, which showed in his passion for documentaries and traveling domestically to museums, military sites, and presidential libraries. Living fully in the digital age, Jared preferred audiobooks over reading. A welcome tool for passing the time on one of his many road trips. Jared’s hard-working nature flourished throughout his career as a software engineer, a passion he carried over, and nurtured, outside his office walls. Volunteering with local robotics clubs and sharing his love and understanding of technology with up-and-coming future engineers brought him great joy. This charitable side of Jared also extended to his favorite donation recipients, NPR and PBS. Jared showed compassion not just to his fellow man, but to four legged friends as well. He loved animals almost as much as they loved him. Jared’s hobbies included the viewing of movies, television, and anime, all of the action, science-fiction or fantasy genres. Jared also spent many a Saturday night playing games with his friends, who meant a lot to him and who he meant a lot to. Ever the kind and generous soul, Jared will be remembered with overwhelming affection by many who had the privilege of knowing him, and missed dearly.