Jeanne Huebner

Jeanne Huebner was born on March 11, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri and passed away on January 21, 2021. A devout and life-long Catholic, she attended St. Peter’s Elementary School and was in the first graduating class of Hogan High School in 1944. Jeanne spoke fondly of her childhood, had many friends, and loved going to the movies at the Brookside Theatre.

After high school, she attended the St. Joseph School of Nursing, and worked for six months as a surgical scrub nurse at St. Joseph Hospital. But she quickly realized nursing was not her calling. After moving to Miami with friends, but without a job, she applied to become a flight attendant with Pan Am Airlines. Jeanne spoke just enough Spanish to get the job. She loved her flight from Miami to Buenos Aires, where she was lucky enough to have layovers and take in the beaches. These were the glamour days of flying and she loved it. After a year, Jeanne and her friends returned to Kansas City and she became a flight attendant with TWA. She would fly with TWA for the next 34 years.

Jeanne lived at home with her Mom and Dad for many years. In 1968, she bought property and built a house at Lake of the Ozarks, only the second one in her cove. The lake house was her spiritual retreat center and sanctuary. She loved entertaining friends there, and spent weeks by herself there too.

Jeanne loved St. James Church, where she was a faithful worshipper on Sundays until her failing health and strength did not allow her to attend anymore. Jeanne had a heart to help the poor, as she said, and volunteered every Monday at the St. James soup kitchen for over 30 years.

Dogs were always special to Jeanne, especially poodles. Molly, Minnie, and others before them were her constant companions – her buddies. And she loved all animals, supporting PETA for many years.

In her later years, Jeanne wondered why God never had marriage or children in her plan. But boy did she love children. Jeanne loved being the adopted grandmother to Dane Callstrom and Rebecca Turner and Christopher, Mary, Katherine, and Adam Harman – her church family. Her inner child loved playing and just hanging with the kids. She considered them the greatest blessings in her life.

Jeanne was an independent woman, and was fearless about taking on that plumbing or electrical job. And she was known to have strong opinions that she was never shy to express. But Jeanne loved her friends fiercely. If you were lucky enough to be counted as her friend, you never doubted the unconditional love she had for you.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, Sebastian and Mary Huebner, and by her brother, George. Jeanne is survived by the many friends who love her dearly.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. James Catholic Church, 3909 Harrison Street, KCMO, on Saturday, February 6, 2021. A socially distanced visitation begins at 10:30 followed by an 11:00 Mass. The service can also be viewed via live stream by going to St. James Catholic Church Facebook page. A private graveside service will be held immediately following at the Cleveland, Missouri cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. James Catholic Church, the Bishop Sullivan Center or Wayside Waifs.