Frances Joan Frohner

She was named after her mother Frances so to avoid confusion she was always addressed by her middle name Joan, except they pronounced it JoAnn. She spent 97 years explaining to everyone she met that even though her name was spelled Joan it was pronounced JoAnn. She asked thousands of times “what were my parents thinking?”

She loved recounting her early years growing up on a farm near Benedict, NE with her six sisters and brother. She was especially proud of the fact they survived without running water or electricity and that they grew their own vegetables and raised their own chickens and beef.

She married Ed Frohner in 1948 and they raised a family of five children. In her later years she developed Macular Degeneration, eventually causing her to lose her center vision. She also had multiple falls resulting in hip replacements, a fractured femur and several pelvic fractures. Throughout all of this she just kept on going! She knew physical therapy and occupational therapy helped her tremendously but she always referred to it as “torture.”

She lived in independent living at Notre Dame Housing for 21 years. This is probably the place she most considered home. Two years ago she moved to assisted living and being the strong willed and independent person that she was and not accepting her physical limitations, more often than not refused assistance. She could often be heard telling the staff “you are not my boss.” The word that has repeatedly been used to describe her was “feisty”.

Joan a/k/a JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband Edwin J. Frohner, sons Mark A. Frohner and Gary J. Frohner. She is survived by daughter Sandy (Bob) Park and sons Douglas Frohner and Ronald Frohner, sisters Kathy Vanicek and Barbara Gregory.

One of her greatest joys in life was being Grandma to Wendi (Brian) Kobler, Bobbie Frohner (Mike Galayda), Jeff McCoy (Dawn Gau), Kelly Jablonski and Timothy Frohner.

Her second greatest joy were her great-grandchildren Garret Green, Chloe Green, Trey McCoy, Morgan Jablonski, Julia Kobler and Molly Kobler. She was also great-great grandma to Braylon Rablin.

Visitation will be Sunday, January 5, 3-5 pm. Funeral Service will be held Monday, January 6 at 11 am with Burial to follow. All services at Westlawn-Hillcrest.