Alan Harvey Koepke

Alan Harvey Koepke, 83, of Oconomowoc, WI, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 1, 2024 following a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend with his family.

Al was born on January 6, 1941 and grew up on the family dairy farm near Mapleton. He graduated from Oconomowoc High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduating in 1963 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He returned to his parents’ family farm where he pioneered new ways of farming with his brothers and later with his nephew and his nephew’s wife as fifth-generation farmers. Al loved using his engineering skills to design buildings, modify equipment and grow the family dairy enterprise into a model for the industry. He championed dairy and conservation organizations which improved and modernized farming practices. Throughout his life, Al encouraged and mentored youth to seek higher education and careers in agriculture

Always a Badger fan, Al and his wife Mary enjoyed many years taking friends and family to UW football and basketball games. In retirement Al and Mary traveled extensively, visiting six continents and more than 30 countries. He was an avid model train enthusiast and treasured playing in the train room with his grandchildren as well as creating video documentaries of family adventures. He prized his post-workout coffees with his friends, solving the daily puzzles and sending cartoons and text messages to check-in with all of his family. His love, kindness and creativity will be missed by all.

He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Mary Ellen (Patterson) Koepke, his cherished daughters Ann (Jerome) Menard of Assens, Switzerland, Laura (Joseph) Frey of Lincoln, NE and Jane (Zachary) Pruhs of Fitchburg, WI, his beloved grandchildren Jason and Matthew Menard, Henry, Max, and Charles Frey and Pierce and Evelyn Pruhs. He is also survived by his brothers Jim (Mary Ann) and David (Linda) Koepke and brother-in-law LeRoy (Marilynn) Patterson, as well as many friends and extended family members. He is preceded in death by his parents Ruth and Harvey Koepke, in-laws Herbert and Anna Patterson and nephew Kody Koepke.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, (995 S. Silver Lake St, Oconomowoc, WI), from 9:00am to 12:00pm followed by a Mass of Christian Burial. Al will be laid to rest at LaBelle Cemetery in Oconomowoc.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dairy’s Foundation or AGR Educational Foundation of IOTA Chapter, organizations close to Al’s heart.

To watch a live stream of the service, please click the link here:

https://www.youtube.com/@st.jeromesoconomowoc6514/streams