Joanne Jelke

Joanne "Jobi" Bartholomay Jelke met her Lord and Savior Jesus on June 7, 2025 at the age of 91. She was born on January 22, 1934 in Budapest, Hungary. Joanne grew up in Rhode Island. After high school she attended University of Rhode Island for Agriculture and University of Miami. She eventually found her way to Texas and made her lifelong home in Brenham where she attended animal husbandry courses at Texas A&M and was a farmer for many decades, raising national champion Borzoi, miniature horses, then Alpine and Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats.

Joanne enjoyed drawing, painting, and sculpting and was a skilled artist. In later decades she found much joy in creating award-winning quilts she showed locally.

Joanne traveled the world with her three children, introducing them to disparate cultures and experiences. Above all, she was steadfastly committed to leading others to share her faith in Jesus so they could know peace, hope, and salvation.

Joanne dedicated herself to helping those in need and served on the board of Faith Mission and Help Center in Brenham, helping to expand programs for the mission. She helped establish a church and school in south Texas. Joanne supported countless philanthropic causes during her life, including one of her favorites: Mercy Ships. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church of Brenham where she loved and was loved dearly by the close community there. Joanne will be remembered fondly for the weekly Sunday lunches she hosted where the whole church was invited, all were welcome, and many memories were made and laughs had by all.

Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Marjorie McVickar and F. Bartholomay Jelke ; her brother Frazier Jelke III; and her sister Victoria J. Avery.

She is survived by her son Gordon Jelke of Brenham, Texas; daughter Tiffany Jelke of Maine;, and son and daughter-in-law Alexander and Stacy Jelke of Cypress. In addition, she is survived by six grandchildren: Jennifer Peacock and husband Alex, Kade Peacock, William Witter, and Zane, Gage, and Allison Jelke and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to Jobi Goat Dairy employees Leatha Miller, Fermin Ortiz, Erik Ortiz, Morgan Gardner, Amy Schreckenbach, Joni Montgomery, and Meg Stewart.

Pallbearers will be Zane Jelke, Gage Jelke, Fermin Ortiz, Erik Ortiz, Samuel Symms, and John Wagner. Honorary pallbearers will be John Jaska, Gavin Myers, Chad Myers, and Josh Vaughn.

Visitation will be held at Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main Street Brenham, TX 77833 on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 from 5-7 P.M.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025 at 10 am at Memorial Oaks Chapel located at 1306 W. Main Street Brenham, TX 77833. Interment will follow service at Prairie Lea Cemetery, 1004 Prairie Lea St, Brenham, TX 77833.

A celebration of Joanne's life will be held at Fellowship Baptist Church, 2000 FM389, Brenham, TX 77833 afterwards.

Memorial donations may be made to: Mercy Ships Intl.

Joanne's wishes were no dark colors, bright colors only for her funeral.