Jacklyn D. Enke, 71, St. Joseph

June 23, 1953 – March 8, 2025

Jacklyn Enke, 71, of St. Joseph, MN, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 8, surrounded by family at the St. Cloud Hospital, after a courageous 2 ½ year battle with ALS.

Jacky was born in St. Croix Falls, WI to Roger and Darlene (Hopkins) Ekstrand. She graduated from Dawson, MN high school and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education from St. Cloud State University. Over her 34 years with the St. Cloud school district, she taught special education and later, 5th grade. She married Dean Enke in St. Cloud in 1983, and over the years, they enjoyed family vacations across the country with their four children, as well as time spent with family and friends at their lake cabin in Wisconsin.

Especially talented and humble, Jacky had many passions including quilting, painting and being creative. She had a love for children, family, cats, photography and humor.

Jacky never missed the opportunity for a photo, whether it be of family or something beautiful in nature; she always wanted to capture the moment. She loved reading a good mystery and the beaches of Florida, the ocean air and relaxation of favorite vacation places in Mexico, as well as the coastlines and redwoods of California.

Jacky is survived by her husband Dean, her 4 children, Kelli (James) Betz of Hudson, WI, Andrew (Laila Asheghian) Enke of Los Gatos, CA, Steven (Melissa) Enke of Lakeville, MN and Jay (Elizabeth) Enke of Maple Grove, MN; 7 grandchildren, Shelby (Dominik) Gatten of Prairie Farm, WI, Chelsea (Mitchell Bast) Betz of Tucson, AZ, Michael Betz, Hudson, WI and Landon, Madison, Michaela and Logan Enke of Lakeville, and 1 great-grandchild, Malia Gatten. She is also survived by her mother, Darlene Ekstrand of Luck, WI, her siblings Terry (Brad) Wittnebel of Marietta, MN, Roger (Renae) Ekstrand of Frederic, WI and Kris (Tony) Sposato of Cedaredge, CO, along with aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and countless other family members and friends whom she cared about and loved deeply.

“The clock of time is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when that clock will stop,
At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own,
So live, love, and toil with a will.
Place no faith in tomorrow,
For the hands may soon be still.”

– An entry from Jacky’s father, Roger Ekstrand’s journal, October 1, 2012

A celebration of Jacky’s life will be planned in the coming months.

The family would like to thank the ICU staff at the St. Cloud Hospital for their compassionate care.