Obituary

Joyce Koehn, 87, passed away on February 1, 2020. Born on October 3, 1932, in Winfield, Kansas to Bennie Bargen and Esther Kliewer Bargen, Joyce loved helping others and organizing social events. She attended Bethel College, where she pursued teacher education and was active in theater. Immediately after her marriage to her beloved Paul, she taught for several years in western Kansas. She devoted the subsequent years to raising her children but also found time to serve as a part-time librarian in the Concordia public school system. Her favorite part of being a librarian was making books come to life for young listeners with her story time performances.

She was active in the local Athenaeum club and one of the founders of the popular Christmas cookie sale event still held every year at the First United Methodist Church. She was a strong supporter of the high school and college women’s athletics and of the Concordia debate and forensics program. Both she and Paul hugely enjoyed playing in Scotch foursomes with their many golf friends. Since Joyce loved to laugh and always listened well to others she was a favorite at Wilshire at Lakewood Care Center in Lee’s Summit.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Koehn. Survivors include her four daughters and their respective spouses- Daryl Koehn and husband Julian Brown (Chicago, IL), Jo Koehn and wife, Pamela Maben (Lee’s Summit, MO), Susan Buck and husband William (Salina, KS), and Jennifer Nelson and husband William (Scottsdale, AZ); three grandchildren, Alexandra Salinas (husband Christopher), Lizabeth Buck, and Will Nelson; and two great-grandchildren, Vivienne and Elodie Salinas.

A graveside interment ceremony will be held later this spring.