JeanAnn Jacks Wirth

JeanAnn Jacks Wirth

Passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 20th at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by Allan, her adoring husband of 61 years, and Daniel, arguably her favorite son. She is survived by daughter Paula (Don) Pajewski of South Milwaukee, and their three daughters, Anastasia, Sophia, and Maryna; her son Bill (Rosemary) of Wauwatosa, their daughter Katy and sons Nicholas and Cole; her son Patrick, Patrick’s son, Samuel and Samuel’s mom, Alexandra; as well as Daniel’s sons Alexander, Zachary, Benjamin, Daniel Levi and their mom Angela; and JeanAnn’s beloved sister Barbara, of Wauwatosa. She is further survived by relatives and friends, the most devoted of whom was Dale Pawlak, of Milwaukee, who brought her great comfort in the years following Allan’s death.

Jean was known for many loves, of learning and teaching, traveling, entertaining, and babies, but the longest single thread in her extensive life was her love of music. From her first Christmas at just under three months of age, when her parents noted her listening as if spellbound and keeping time to holiday music, to her last evening on earth, when she became responsive to the beauty of the sound of her favorite composer, Prokofiev, music was an essential part of JeanAnn’s life. At the age of 12, she replaced her father as the organist at Mother of Good Counsel Church in Milwaukee. A cello lesson in 1947 introduced her to the young man with whom she would eventually share a life. As teenagers, she and her sister Barbara toured extensively in the midwest as an acclaimed classical piano duo, occasionally sharing the stage with their contemporary, Liberace. As the Jacks Sisters, they also appeared numerous times on local television station WTMJ. When Jean became a teacher at Custer High School, she served as the music director for several of the school’s musical theater productions. She went back to Marquette in the early sixties in pursuit of her Master of Arts degree, submitting her thesis on composer Gian-Carlo Menotti, long an idol of hers, and years later had the joy of personally meeting this hero when singing with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee at Menotti’s Festival in Spoleto, Italy. For years after resigning from teaching, Jean served on the board of the Artist Series at the Pabst, and became well-known for the delightful receptions she prepared for the visiting artists with her friend and co board member, Mary Tooley. Music was woven comprehensively throughout JeanAnn’s life, and saw her still attending live performances by her beloved Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as recently as last season, escorted by her dear friend, Dale.

Jean’s family would like to extend their deep appreciation to the caring staff of Oak Park Place, Oak Creek, and the gentle, comforting ministrations of JeanAnn’s Preceptor Hospice providers.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM at Krause Funeral Home in Brookfield, 21600 West Capitol Drive Brookfield, Wisconsin 53072, with a private burial on Monday, October 2, 2023 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee.

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