Dr. James Joseph Ansfield

We mourn the passing of Dr. James J. Ansfield, a vibrant fixture of Milwaukee's Jewish community, on April 10, 2023, at his home in Mequon. He was 81. An adored physician, husband, father, friend, and chocoholic, Jimmy dedicated his life to sharing life's joys and his infectious spirit with others. Among much else, he will be remembered as an extraordinary doctor who prioritized bedside manner and personalized care over the bottom line. Known later in life as "Jimmy Blue," he was often seen in cobalt hues, exuding sweetness, compassion, and youthful cheer. Even at the age of 80, he was a crowd favorite in the annual Whitefish Bay Fourth of July Parade, rollerblading in his stars & stripes costume as "Patriotic Super Roller Doc." The son of a revered doctor (Maurice) and UW-Milwaukee literature scholar (Esther), Jimmy graduated from Whitefish Bay High and UW-Madison. In his formative years he spent summers in the northwoods helping to launch Camp Timberlane. He later earned a degree from Marquette Medical School (now the Medical College of Wisconsin) and trained at Wadsworth VA Hospital in Los Angeles and Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver, before entering private practice and returning to Milwaukee in 1977. Over the next thirty-five years, he honed a profoundly humanistic approach to internal medicine and gastroenterology. An appointment with Dr. Ansfield was as likely to traverse intestinal issues as it was family matters. In all probability, he would whip out his wallet and share photos of his kids and grandkids. Jim will be dearly missed by his beloved wife, Joni, his children Jonathan and Amy (Li) Ansfield, and Bench Ansfield and Nataliya Braginsky, his brother Dr. Tom and Lynn Ansfield, his stepchildren Randy, Timmy, and Danielle Strauss, and his grandchildren Mirah and Rivah Ansfield, and Chandlar, Cole, Justin, and Riley Strauss. The funeral will take place on Friday, April 14, 2023 11 AM at Congregation Sinai, 8223 N. Port Washington Rd., Fox Point, followed by interment at Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43 St., Milwaukee. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Holocaust Education Resource Center of the Jewish Federation or the charity of your choice are appreciated. A shiva will follow at the home of Jimmy and Joni Ansfield, 10413 N. Haddonstone Place in Mequon. To watch the service virtually (link hosted by Congregation Sinai) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLep-2p48bqme3YWns0jBFw/live

Dr. James Joseph Ansfield

September 15, 1941 - April 10, 2023