Duane Clifford Jahnke, 51, was born July 14, 1961 in Lancaster WI. He died August 28th 2012 in Madison WI of pancreatic cancer. Father to Nathaniel Jahnke (24) of Madison WI and Kyle Jahnke (22) of Eau Claire WI; son of Clifford and Ruby (Braudt) Jahnke of Fennimore WI; husband of Diane (Amans) Jahnke of Middleton WI; brother to Lela Boettcher (Dennis) of Sheboygan Falls WI, Della Jahnke (Tim Socha) of Sheboygan Falls WI, and Rosella Jahnke (deceased); uncle to many nieces and nephews.
Duane grew up as a farmer, and graduated from Lancaster High School in 1979. He then attended college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, where he competed for the EC Track and Field team; in hurdles, relays and long jump. He graduated from UW Eau Claire in 1983, with a degree from the School of Business in Management Information Systems.
After graduation, he moved to Madison to work in his field of Information Technology as a Computer Programmer Analyst and Systems Analyst, working at various companies (Professional Data Processing, Pirkle Freight Lines, Marcia Brenner Associates). Upon first moving to Madison he met his wife at work, Diane Amans, and they married in 1985. They had two sons in 1988 and 1990. Duane was a soccer coach, a Cub Scout Den Leader and Pack Treasurer, and enjoyed yearly family camping with his extended family. In 1990, Duane started his own computer consulting firm with a colleague, and was President and Owner of System Request Consultants, of which he also managed, for 18 years.
In 2007, he closed his successful consulting company and proudly accepted the position of Managing Senior Director of Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin Foundation in Madison, where he had served as a consultant for the previous 20 years.Duane’s first passion was always his work with computers, with developing software and managing his employees and co-workers. His work was his life; his colleagues his friends.He also loved the outdoor sports of hunting (deer, turkey, and pheasant) and fishing and ice fishing. He enjoyed some of these activities first with his father, then with nephews Eric Boettcher and Josh Warpinski, and also with his Brittany dogs, Blaze and Jake. He was also an avid football fan.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday Sept. 1, 2012 at the Larson Family Funeral Home in Fennimore, with burial to follow in St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Cemetery in Liberty Township, Grant Co., WI. Pastor Martin Yeager of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ will be officiating. A visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service at the funeral home on Saturday morning.