Ethan Jochem

MADISON- Ethan Jochem, 16, of Madison, passed away on March 9, 2020. He was born on April 20, 2003 in Madison to Adam and Amy Jochem.

Ethan was a gifted and generous young man who possessed a boundless capacity for empathy.  While his keen wit, wry sense of humor, and contagious laughter often made him the life of the party, he was an exceptional confidant and he championed those who needed a boost in life.  Ethan enjoyed his music loud, his computers fast, and his video games bold, but he also maintained a quieter side.  He was a voracious reader who enjoyed fiction and occasionally rewrote parts of his favorite stories.  His love of non-fiction led him to memorize entire volumes devoted to subjects such as freshwater fish and domestic chickens.  At a very young age, Ethan became an accomplished distance runner, completing several long races including a half-marathon on his tenth birthday.

Ethan was an animal lover who had a variety of pets including many chickens, his dog, Lilah, and his hamster, Kevin.  Each creature in Ethan's care was supremely well cared-for and nurtured.  Ethan's culinary true love was cheesecake, but he also had eyes (and a tummy) for candy and chips. Time spent with Ethan was rarely dull, as his creative antics and his playfully mischievous disposition made even mundane days an adventure.  His love of learning and quest for esoteric knowledge was paralleled only by his abiding love and respect for those who were fortunate enough to be part of his world. He taught us so much during his short life and although he is so dearly missed, there is so much of Ethan that we will carry with us.

He is survived by his adoring family including his brother (Eric) and sister (Iris), scores of friends, and a countless number of people whose lives he touched.

A Celebration of Ethan’s Life will be held at Cress Funeral and Cremation Service, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 from 3-6pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, https://donate.fightingblindness.org/webdonation or The Ethan Jochem Memorial Scholarship,https://www.supportmadisoncollege.org/the-ethan-jochem-memorial-scholarship/ . Friends and family are also invited to bring a new or gently used children’s book to the celebration to be donated to The Road Home in Ethan’s name.

A live stream of Ethan's services will be shared here.