Posted: 12.30.2010

Special note from Farm Director, Pam Jahnke.

Anybody that has had much involvement in the Jersey breed has likely encountered Dave and Patty Endres of Jazzy Jersey's.  On early Thursday morning - some of that sparkle left the Jersey industry and Wisconsin's ag advocacy group.

In a special phone conversation with Dave Endres, Pam Jahnke learned on Thursday that Patty passed away around midnight on Wednesday after conversations with her husband and sister.  She was 47.

Patty graduated from Monona Grove High School in l981 and than attended the University of Wisconsin and received a degree in dietetics. She married Dave in 1986 and they began farming in the Lodi area. She was very active in farming and her children's activities. She was a board member for the Professional Dairy Producers Assoc., coached soccer, was active in the 4-H, and was voted with her husband as Outstanding Young Farmer in 2000 and National Outstanding Young Farmer in 2001.

She was also a finalist in the Alice in Dairyland competition  where Pam actually first met her, during the Dunn county finals.

According to Dave Endres, Patty had been battling some type of ailment all summer long.  Friends will recall that almost 10 years ago, Patty suffered an aortic rip that left the family (and Pam Jahnke) in an intensive care ward in Madison hoping for a heart transplant.  It happened. Following her surgery she became an advocate for organ donation and walked for the Heart Association and helped raise funds for Cancer research.

Dave Endres told Pam Jahnke that just this summer, the family was able to enjoy experiences in Germany, Niagara Falls, and other destinations - just to spend time together.  "You know there's going to be challenges - but you just assume you're going to make your way through the next one like you did the last one," Dave told Pam.  This one was unexpected.

Survivors include her husband Dave; three children, Vincent, Sydney, and Mitchell; her parents Milo and Frances Nelson; four sisters Pamela (Paul) Anderson, Nancy (John) Quirk, Jeanne (John) Shearer and Karen (David) DeLoof and many nieces and nephews.

I (Pam Jahnke) traveled with Patty to the east coast with a land management team endorsed by WI Ag Secretary, Rod Nilsesteun, looking at maintaining valueable farmland in light of urban expansion.  Patty's energy was amazing.  Patty got a big heart - and everyone shared in it.

Funeral arrangements will be released on Friday.  Wake arrangements will be Sunday in Waunakee with the funeral Monday in Lodi.

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