Johanna Mahler Krebs

Johanna Mahler Krebs, 95, passed away after a stroke on February 3, 2022. She had struggled with health issues in the past 8 years, including a loss of mobility, but she never complained and always had a grateful heart.

Johanna was born in Huntington, West Virginia the youngest child of Eugene and Manon Mahler who had recently immigrated from Germany. The family soon moved to Grandview, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. Jo attended elementary through high school in Grandview. Her father died when she was just eleven and her older brother, Otto was a big help to his mother and sisters. Jo was athletic and held a varsity letter in Field Hockey. Johanna met Richard while working at Wesleyan Press the publisher of The Weekly Reader in Columbus, Ohio. Jo and Dick were married in 1951. They proceeded to have four boys in five years! Dick’s career moved the family to Mountainside, New Jersey in 1964 and then to Mount Prospect, Illinois in 1968.

Jo was a devoted at-home mother. She was high energy and kept an immaculate home. She loved hosting family dinners and rooting on the Ohio State Buckeyes with Dick and the boys. She went back to work as an administrator at Hoffman LaRoche to help pay for her sons college tuition. Jo and Dick retired to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas in 1991 where they enjoyed playing golf with their many friends and were very active with the Habitat for Humanity. They also enjoyed several winters in Holmes Beach on Anna Marie Island where they enjoyed visiting their Florida-based sons.

A couple years after Dick passed away Jo moved to Overland Park, KS in 2013 to live closer to her youngest twin sons, Don and Doug and their families. Jo was a strong woman of faith and was very involved with the churches St. Raymond, Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Church of the Nativity.

Johanna is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Manon, her brother, Otto, her sister, Anna Marie, her husband, Dick of 59 years and her nephew, Michael. Survivors include her sons Ric (Danute), Tim (Teresa), Don (Jean) and Doug (Sue); her grandchildren, Joy (Ryan), Sarah (Stephen), Tim, Natalie (Austin), Mal (Phil), Daniel, Brad, Carlton, Paiton, Jen, Triston and Jack and great-grandchildren, Jayden, Daniel, Michaela, Madison, Camden and Avery. Survivors also include her nephews Alan (Maris) and Scott and her nieces, Karen, and Les (Chris) and their families.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Habitat for Humanity or Heifer International.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, March 7, 2022 at the Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th Street, Leawood, KS. Visitation will be at 9:15 a.m. and the Mass at 10:00 a.m.