Ernest B. Jankowski, MD, was born in South Bend, Indiana to John R. Jankowski and Irene E. (Szymanski) Jankowski. He passed away peacefully on January 28 at the Ernestine M. Raclin House Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka. He was a lifelong resident of South Bend and, for most of his life, an active parishioner of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
He graduated from South Bend Catholic High School, where he was a letterman for the school football team. In 1954 Dr. Jankowski earned his Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) at the University of Notre Dame. The following year, he married Patricia Szabo, his wife of 70 years, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame, after which they steadily parented 6 children. In those years, his further education included a Doctor of Medicine degree at Indiana University in Indianapolis, and the completion of a medical residency at Memorial Hospital in South Bend.
As a Family Practitioner in private practice, Dr. Jankowski made house calls with a traditional little black doctor’s bag, and delivered innumerable babies, whether by night or day. He also served for many years as team doctor for the Washington High School football team. Later in his career he worked as Chief of the teaching staff at the Family Medicine Residency Program Center (affiliated with Memorial Hospital), where he trained residents. Upon his retirement, the center named its library after him. He continued in part-time practice into his 70’s and, throughout his career and well beyond, he was affectionately called “Doc” by friends and patients alike. He was a dedicated healer and teacher, and his life of service was a true calling, not just a job. He was a man of understated accomplishment, steadfast faith, hard work, and integrity.
He best appreciated the small things in life with a quiet and earnest enthusiasm. He had a goofy sense of humor. He was a lifelong loyal fan of Notre Dame football, and also loved to play golf. He was enthusiastic about jazz, especially Dave Brubeck, and enjoyed Sunday afternoons listening to his vinyl collection of classic 50’s- 60’s jazz.
He loved summer camping trips, which consisted of driving the kids, dog, pop-up camper and fishing boat out to a remote wilderness lake in Montana for salmon fishing. He was serious about the weather too, he knew the names and meanings of all the types of clouds and always kept track of which way the wind was blowing
He most loved the family cottage on Little Crooked Lake in Sister Lakes, Michigan. As a boy he helped his dad clear the land to build the cottage and, in his later years, he became its primary caretaker. He was happiest of all with family up at the lake.
Dr. Jankowski is survived by his loving wife Patricia Jankowski; his children Michele Jankowski-Smith, Michael & Melody (Lamb) Jankowski, Judith (Jankowski) & Patrick O’Connell, Laura Jankowski, Jeffrey Jankowski, and Jennifer (Jankowski) Newman; grandchildren Yusef Abdolmohammadi & Amanda Hamilton, Jacob & Emily (White) Abdolmohammadi, and Alexander Newman; great-grandchildren Cameron, Claire, and Cecilia Hamilton, and Zack, Landon, and Owen Abdolmohammadi; his sister Maryanne (Jankowski) Jackovitz; and nieces Janice (Jackovitz) & James Ferrara, Julie (Jackovitz) & Jeff Moore, and Joyce (Jackovitz) & Duke George. He was pre-deceased by his parents, his brother-in-law John Jackovitz, and his son-in-law James Russell Smith.
At his express request for no posthumous fanfare, only a private family remembrance will be held for Dr. Jankowski at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be considered for the Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka https://foundationforhospice.org/donate/
He graduated from South Bend Catholic High School, where he was a letterman for the school football team. In 1954 Dr. Jankowski earned his Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) at the University of Notre Dame. The following year, he married Patricia Szabo, his wife of 70 years, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame, after which they steadily parented 6 children. In those years, his further education included a Doctor of Medicine degree at Indiana University in Indianapolis, and the completion of a medical residency at Memorial Hospital in South Bend.
As a Family Practitioner in private practice, Dr. Jankowski made house calls with a traditional little black doctor’s bag, and delivered innumerable babies, whether by night or day. He also served for many years as team doctor for the Washington High School football team. Later in his career he worked as Chief of the teaching staff at the Family Medicine Residency Program Center (affiliated with Memorial Hospital), where he trained residents. Upon his retirement, the center named its library after him. He continued in part-time practice into his 70’s and, throughout his career and well beyond, he was affectionately called “Doc” by friends and patients alike. He was a dedicated healer and teacher, and his life of service was a true calling, not just a job. He was a man of understated accomplishment, steadfast faith, hard work, and integrity.
He best appreciated the small things in life with a quiet and earnest enthusiasm. He had a goofy sense of humor. He was a lifelong loyal fan of Notre Dame football, and also loved to play golf. He was enthusiastic about jazz, especially Dave Brubeck, and enjoyed Sunday afternoons listening to his vinyl collection of classic 50’s- 60’s jazz.
He loved summer camping trips, which consisted of driving the kids, dog, pop-up camper and fishing boat out to a remote wilderness lake in Montana for salmon fishing. He was serious about the weather too, he knew the names and meanings of all the types of clouds and always kept track of which way the wind was blowing
He most loved the family cottage on Little Crooked Lake in Sister Lakes, Michigan. As a boy he helped his dad clear the land to build the cottage and, in his later years, he became its primary caretaker. He was happiest of all with family up at the lake.
Dr. Jankowski is survived by his loving wife Patricia Jankowski; his children Michele Jankowski-Smith, Michael & Melody (Lamb) Jankowski, Judith (Jankowski) & Patrick O’Connell, Laura Jankowski, Jeffrey Jankowski, and Jennifer (Jankowski) Newman; grandchildren Yusef Abdolmohammadi & Amanda Hamilton, Jacob & Emily (White) Abdolmohammadi, and Alexander Newman; great-grandchildren Cameron, Claire, and Cecilia Hamilton, and Zack, Landon, and Owen Abdolmohammadi; his sister Maryanne (Jankowski) Jackovitz; and nieces Janice (Jackovitz) & James Ferrara, Julie (Jackovitz) & Jeff Moore, and Joyce (Jackovitz) & Duke George. He was pre-deceased by his parents, his brother-in-law John Jackovitz, and his son-in-law James Russell Smith.
At his express request for no posthumous fanfare, only a private family remembrance will be held for Dr. Jankowski at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be considered for the Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka https://foundationforhospice.org/donate/
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