Josie Barrera, age 88, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, of Shawnee, Kansas, passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease on January 2, 2025.
A Rosary for Josie will be held Friday, January 10, 2025 at 8:45 AM at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 5250 Mission Road, Roeland Park, Kansas 66205, with Visitation from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, followed by the Mass of Christian burial at 10:00 AM, at the Church. Burial in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, 8321 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215. Memorial contributions are suggested to Friends of JCDS, 10501 Lackman Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66219.
Josie was born on December 23, 1936, an early Christmas present to her parents, Modesta (Sanchez) Hernandez and David Hernandez. Josie was the oldest of twelve brothers and sisters. When she wasn’t playing with her siblings, ditching Aunt Loretta in the kitchen to go play or playing various games with friends and family, she was helping her mom and dad keep up the house and taking care of her younger brothers and sisters. She took pride in helping to care for them. Her sisters noted how she loved music and loved to dance, particularly to Fats Domino.
Josie obtained her GED at age 15 so that she could go to work and help support her family. Among the jobs she performed was as a waitress at the old Muehlebach Hotel. It was here where she would meet the love of her life, Richard. She used to tickle her children by saying that Richard was exciting, a bit of a “bad boy”. They married in April 1958, and nine months later, had their first child, Richard (Rick). In December 1959, they had their second child, Michael. In March 1961, they had their third child, Renee. Josie maintained the home and cared for her children while Richard worked to support the family. They would often go out with friends to dances and dates and maintained an active social life. A bit later in life, in August 1970, they would have their final child, Andrew.
Thinking of what was best for their two special-needs children, Josie and Richard made the difficult decision to move further from family across the state line to Roeland Park, Kansas, to take advantage of the programs in the Shawnee Mission School District. They joined St. Agnes Parish, which Josie would call home for the rest of her life. Despite little formal education, Josie would do bookkeeping work just as her mother did to support the family for multiple companies, often more efficiently than those with more education. She also worked with Richard when they owned two different Mexican restaurants, Los Barreras and Cancun’s, keeping the books and managing the daytime shifts. In retirement, she loved to spend time with her husband and her children, and her besties, her sisters. She also enjoyed being the aunt who always had candy and gum for her great-nephews and nieces. Her greatest joy, however, was being Grandma to Elena, Rico and Joaquin. She adored her grandkids, turning her home into a virtual Toys-R-Us, and was renown in the St. Agnes school community for always being the first in line for school pickup. She made sure to be at every game and every concert.
Dementia would unfortunately take its toll in later years, slowly taking the Josie that we all loved. Despite this, she never lost the gleam in her eye when seeing a loved one, and still had the occasional wit that brought giggles to her loved ones. Special thanks go to nieces Tammy Lehner, Anjanette Lewis, Kim Romero and Anita Barrera, who each provided immense assistance to Josie in later years, and to Golden Hearts, where she lived her last few months and was given devoted and affectionate care.
Josie often showed a strength and determination that was unappreciated. She cared for her husband for many years after an initial stroke caused disability, often working full time while still keeping up the household. She also raised two special-needs children very close in age, making sure they could have opportunities to lead as normal lives as possible, and cared for each child through multiple life-threatening events. Even in her last days her thoughts were with them as she worried about who would care for them.
Josie was a voracious reader, and a trivia ringer, humbling anyone that played with her. She was a great bowler with a wicked curve, introducing the game to her children. She was an original member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle at St. Agnes with her beloved sister Patti. She looked forward to Saturday mass every week for years, arriving early to get the same seat, same pew. She often volunteered for Rick and Renee, keeping score for bowling night and assisting in their care and their living plans. She also loved spending time with her sisters and attending everything involving her children and grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her daughter, Renee; her parents, David and Modesta Hernandez; sisters Teresa Luna, Vicki Musquiz and Patti Garcia; and brothers David Hernandez, Larry Hernandez and Steve Hernandez. She is survived by sons Richard, Michael, and Andrew (Becky); three grandchildren, Elena (Brock), Rico and Joaquin; sisters Loretta, Lenore and Gloria; brothers Robert and Richard; and numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Mom, we love you forever, and you are missed dearly by each and every one of us. Please rest in eternal peace.
