A thin loner. This is not how one would describe Jim Endres but it was often how he would describe his favorite euchre hands.

James V. Endres passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 4, 2020 at Agrace Hospice. Jim was born June 22, 1944 in Waunakee, Wisconsin. He attended grade school at Saint Martin’s School in Martinsville, Wisconsin, graduated from Middleton high school, and graduated from UW Whitewater.

Jim served the Madison area as a motorcoach operator for Madison Metro for 25 years. After the loops around Madison came to an end, he tried to play as many hands of euchre as he could. He was a familiar face at many of the area’s Senior Centers on euchre day. If you happened to be at a table with Jim, you probably witnessed the thin loner hand that soon became the story of the week. An ace and ten for trump and two off-suit aces were enough to try a hand. Then you either couldn’t believe he made it, couldn’t believe he tried it, or both.

Jim loved to tell jokes and any subject could elicit a joke or a riddle. Some were funny, some were goofy, but all let you know that Jim was an interesting soul. He enjoyed wearing his John Deere hat regardless of the venue. When you saw it, even from a distance, you knew he was in the room.

He loved to test his grandchildren’s knowledge about various subjects from science to math to geography and history. In return, they asked him as many questions as they could, but rarely could they stump him. Often the reply back was, “How did you know that?”. Jim would respond, “Well, if I didn’t know it, Julie surely would.”

He is survived by his loving wife, Julie, of nearly 51 years; his son Jeffrey and his wife Patty, along with their three children Ethan, Evan and Ella; and his daughter, Jennifer, her husband Ken Zerba, and their two children Katelyn and Joshua. He is also survived by his brother Roy, wife Carol, and his sister Marilyn, husband Pat Passini, and many nieces and nephews.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Second Harvest Food Bank, 2802 Dairy Dr, Madison, WI 5371; or Agrace Hospice 5395 E Cheryl Pkwy, Fitchburg, WI 53711.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

5701 Odana Road

608-274-1000

James Endres

June 22, 1944 - July 04, 2020

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