Joann Fern Hrabe

Joann Fern Hrabe passed away Monday, February 3, 2025, at the Republic County Hospital in Belleville at the age of 61.

She was born on Friday, December 13, 1963, in Quinter, Kansas, to Leonard and Linda (Bedore) Hrabe. Legend has it that it was 13 below zero, and Joann was a breached baby. 

Leonard, Linda, and Joann moved to Smith Center sometime in 1964 so Leonard could run the creamery store in downtown Smith Center. Joann attended grade school and high school in Smith Center and graduated in 1982. 

From there, she spent some time in Texas and then moved back to Kansas and attended Beloit Vo-Tech. She worked at the Mitchell County Clerk’s Office for several years, and then, in 2001, she followed in her dad’s footsteps and started working as a Motor Carrier Inspector in Belleville. She retired in June 2021 after 20 years of service.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Linda Hrabe; paternal grandparents, Amos and Opal Hrabe; maternal grandparents, Bill and Velma Bedore; and step-grandmother, Ruby Bedore. 

Survivors include her brother, Chris Hrabe, and his wife, Cheri; a sister, Shannon Schmidt, and her husband, Jay; nephews and nieces, Kyle and his wife Gina, Tiffini, Ashlie (Darby), Nathan and Hannah (Quinn); and great-nephews and nieces, Bristol, Bridger, Colby and Alivia; uncles and aunts, Larry Bedore and his wife, Susan, and Elaine Horn and her husband, Jim; cousins Patrick (Missy) Bedore, Becky (Gantley) Wilson, Deb (Keenan) Smith, and Donna (Rennie) Griem.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at the Rentschler Family Mortuaries, Simmons-Rentschler Chapel in Smith Center.

The family requests memorial contributions be given to the Joan F. Hrabe Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of the mortuary.

To leave an online condolence, visit www.rfmortuaries.com