Jonathan J. Neitzke

    Jonathan J. Neitzke was known to many in Port Washington as an owner of Beanie’s restaurant and an active businessman who was a member of the Port Main Street board for several years.
    “He loved Port Washington,” his brother Ted Neitzke IV said. “He loved Beanie’s. He loved seeing people and making sure they were taken care of.”
    Mr. Neitzke was known to his staff as Papa Jon, and he treated them as family, said co-owner Marcia Endicott.
    “They loved him and he loved them,” she said. “He was a dear friend. He was just good. He loved to have fun and he made things fun.
    “Our hearts are broken.”
    Mr. Neitzke was a good man, someone who was generous to a fault, his brother added.
    “He was the single kindest person I know,” his brother said. “He gave beyond his means. He had a soft spot for underdogs. If you had a problem, you’d tell him about it and he would jump in to help — and that went for anyone and everyone.
    “There’s nobody who knew him who didn’t have him as one of their favorite people We all lost a best friend.”
    Mr. Neitzke, who lived in Port Washington, died of a heart attack early Tuesday, Aug. 14, at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton. He was 41.
     His parents were at his side — a sign of divine grace, his brother said, given that Mr. Neitzke had driven himself to the hospital late Monday without telling family members and his father, who had fallen earlier that night, was in the emergency room — in the next bed.
    A nurse discovered they were related, and brought them together as doctors worked to try and revive Mr. Neitzke, his brother said.
    “God put them together that night,” he said.
    Mr. Neitzke was born in Port Washington on April 3, 1977, the son of Theodore III and Julie Frick Neitzke.
    He grew up in Port, graduating from Port Washington High School in 1996.
    He attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying business for a time, but he discovered his passion for the hospitality industry while working at Country Club of Wisconsin in high school and college.
    While he worked at a number of places, Mr. Neitzke found his home at Beanie’s, where owners Marcia Endicott and Joanie Nigrelli treated him like a second son, his brother said.
    He was the restaurant’s general manager as well as a part owner, and he could often be found serving, laughing and entertaining customers and staff there.
    “He was hilarious,” his brother said.
    Mr. Neitzke was a member of the Port Main Street Inc. board of directors for several years, but left to more fully devote himself to the business.
    Mr. Neitzke enjoyed photography and could often be found taking pictures around Port Washington and at his niece and nephew’s sporting events.
    “He lived vicariously through his niece Grace and nephew Charlie,” his brother said. “Jon was the guy who went to the kids’ soccer games, took pictures of them and their friends.”
    His niece and nephew called him Jonny Boy or Big Jon, and those were his favorite titles, he noted.
    “Family was the heart of his world,” his brother said, adding he never missed a Sunday family dinner.
    Mr. Neitzke also enjoyed golf and cheering for the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers.
    He is survived by his parents Ted and Julie Neitzke III of Random Lake; brothers Ted IV (Megan) of Port Washington and Father Tom Neitzke, SJ, of Omaha, Neb.
    He was preceded in death by his grandparents Theodore and Helen Neitzke II and Lloyd and Virginia Frick.
    A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at St. John XXIII Parish, St. Peter of Alcantara Catholic Church in Port Washington. His brother will officiate.
    Visitation will be from 3 to 5:45 p.m. Friday at the church.
    Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Random Lake.
    In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family are suggested.
    Funeral arrangements are being handled through Eernisse Funeral Home, Port Washington.