Joan Ostmeyer, 72, died at home in Overland Park, Kansas, on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024, surrounded by the family that loved her, after battling glioblastoma brain cancer with strength and grace.
This beautiful wife and mother was born on October 18th, 1951, to Stephen and Elizabeth “Betty” (Halbleib) Broeckelman of Angelus, Kansas. She was blessed with six siblings: Phyllis Rueschhoff, Edith Broeckelman, Judith Brull, Lee Broeckelman, Lois Stafford, and Barb Dayvault. Joan attended Angelus Grade School and Grinnell High School. She played the alto saxophone and French horn in the high school pep and dress bands. Joan was a dedicated student and was the salutatorian of her high school class. She attended Fort Hays State University majoring in elementary education.
Joan fell in love with Rick Ostmeyer, and they married on January 8th, 1971. They were united as one for 53 wonderful years, and had two daughters, Jennifer Hunter and Darielle McGriff. Rick was the dreamer and Joan was the strength that led them all over Kansas from Oakley to Kansas City to Derby and then home to Hays, Kansas, where they built a successful business and beautiful life.
Rick and Joan co-owned Hays Memorial Chapel since 1983 until their retirement in 2014. Joan was a faithful member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays, Kansas and Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, Kansas. She served on the Board of Trustees at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, the parish board of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, was a former member of Daughters of Isabella, a CASA volunteer, and devoted religion teacher. The achievement she was most proud of was being a dedicated wife, mother and grandma to her family.
Survivors include her husband Rick; daughter Jennifer Hunter and her husband Levi of Olathe, Kansas; daughter Darielle McGriff and her husband Derek of Olathe, Kansas; six grandchildren, Haley McGriff, Miles McGriff, Caitlin McGriff, Drew McGriff, Lia Hunter and Kyla Hunter; brother Lee (Barb) Broeckelman of Oakley, Kansas, sister Lois (Don) Stafford of Hays, Kansas, and sister Barbara Dayvault of Sacramento, California.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Stephen and Elizabeth Broeckelman, sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Day Rueschhoff, sister Edith Broeckelman, sister and brother-in-law Judith and Kenneth Brull, brother-in-law Doug Powers, and niece Michelle Mason.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Fr. Don Zimmerman, Fr. Fred Gatschet, Fr. David Metz, and Fr. Alvin Werth officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Monday at the church and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Tuesday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 pm on Monday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hays, Good Shepherd Hospice of Olathe, or to Church of the Ascension in Overland Park. Condolences and memories of Joan may be left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com