Josephine Ann (Joann) Falkenstien
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Josephine Ann (Joann) Falkenstien was born on July 26, 1924 to Walter W. and Edna Selbach McClain in Onaga, Kansas. She graduated from Onaga High School in 1942 and St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in 1945. She served in the Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII.
Joann was united in marriage to Phil Falkenstien on September 22, 1945. Five children were born to this union. The couple returned to Onaga in 1945 where Joann worked at the local hospital before starting her family. Throughout the years, she occasionally assisted at Phil’s dental office.
In 1957, they moved to Lawrence where she was a member of the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and Altar Society, La Sertoma Club, and the Douglas County Dental Auxiliary. Joann was employed part-time at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for over 20 years.
In 1986 Joann and Phil retired to Holiday Island, Arkansas. They shared nearly fifty years of marriage before Phil’s death in 1995. Some of her most cherished memories were vacations to the Colorado Rockies. Her life was enriched by several life-long friends.
Joann returned to Lawrence in 1996 to be closer to family and friends. Following a stroke in 2010, she moved into Parkview Heights Living Center in Garnett, Kansas Where she died on April 1, 2018.
Joann is survived by her children, Becky Solander of Garnett, Marty Falkenstien of Arkansas, Joe Falkenstien and Tom Falkenstien of Lawrence, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A daughter, Susan Hatfield-Botwinik, preceded her in death.
Memorial Contributions may be made in her name to a charity of donor’s choice and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
The Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence, where she was a parishioner. The family will greet friends following Mass. Burial will be at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in rural Nemaha County, Kansas in June.
To Becky, Marty, Joe, and Tom:
Isobel and I were sad to hear of your Mom’s passing, although we know these last few years have been tough on everybody. We didn’t have a lot of contact with Phil and her although every time we did it was a most pleasant occasion. We stayed one night with them in the Ozarks and it was a lot of fun. We watched the raccoons show up on the deck at their regular 10pm time for milk and bread. It was fun. We are both having health issues which will prevent our attending the services but please know we are thinking of you and will be there in spirit.
I have always enjoyed knowing your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I did not know your mother; however when reading her obituary in the Onaga Herald the fact that she was part of the Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII caught my attention. I work with the Onaga Historical Society and one of our projects is to document those from the Onaga area who served in WWII, especially those who graduated from Onaga High School. The Onaga Historical Society would be interested in more information on how your mother served during this critical time in our country’s history so that we may properly include her in the memorial book of World War II service men and women. Thank you. You have our condolences.