Ava Lauretta Hastert

Ava Lauretta Hastert (Bromwich) died on April 14, 2025 at Neuvant House in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Ava was born on a farm in Loup County, Nebraska on April 16, 1924, to Mabel Elsie (Cram) and Joy Stephen Bromwich. Ava’s father was killed in an accident with a horse when she was 22 months old. Her mother never remarried. Ava’s mother stayed on the farm for a year before taking a job at a bank in Broken Bow, Nebraska. When the banks closed in 1932, Ava and her mother went to live for a short time with her Grandfather Cram in the country. Ava’s mother then found work as a secretary for a law firm in Broken Bow. In 1937 Ava and her mother moved to Washington, D.C. where Ava’s mother had a civil service position. In 1941 Ava’s mother transferred to an opening in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Ava graduated from Cheyenne High School. She attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where she earned her B.S. and M.A.

Ava was always proud of the fact that she was one of the first 12 women accepted into the University of Nebraska marching band during World War II. She also played the saxophone in an all-girl dance band.  She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Gamma Phi Beta, Mu Phi Epsilon and the DAR. After graduation, Ava taught one year in Gibbon, Nebraska before marrying her college sweetheart, Robert Hastert. They were married 73 years.

Bob and Ava lived in Cleveland Heights, Ohio for most of their married life. Ava was always interested in education and served on the Cleveland Heights/University of Heights Board of Education. In the 1970s, Ava was honored by the Governor of Ohio for spearheading a drive to get a $14,000,000 bond passed to replace 5 school buildings and to renovate the other school buildings in the district. She also served in leadership positions with the Brownie Scouts, PTA, Band/Orchestra Parents Association and other community groups.

Bob and Ava moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1995 to be closer to their elderly mothers. There they became very involved with the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Celebration and other Lewis and Clark activities. Over the years they traveled the L&C trail from its beginning in St. Louis to the Pacific. Bob and Ava also enjoyed traveling the world.

In 2019 they moved to Lawrence, Kansas.  Ava had a wonderful 100^th birthday celebration on April 20, 2024, with family and friends at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living.

Ava was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, and daughter, Laura. She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Jordan (Dean), of Lawrence, and son, Paul Hastert (Laura) of Houston, Texas, 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

No services are planned at this time, but there will be a future gathering for sharing stories and remembrances.  Ava did not want to designate a specific charity, but memorial contributions could be made to the medical or education related organization of your choice, or, to the Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association, and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary; 120 W 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

The family wishes to express gratitude to the wonderful staff at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living and at Neuvant House.  We also are grateful for the kind and attentive care Ava received from both LMH Palliative Support and the VNA Hospice team.  Ava expressed many times that she was overwhelmed by the wonderful people and excellent medical care of her adopted community.