Joan "Jo" Lohafer
January 7, 1932 — December 16, 2013
Joan “Jo” Charlene Lohafer was born on January 7, 1932 in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Laverne and Hazel (Hopp) Kaven. She was one of three children in the family and she graduated from Avoca High School.
Jo’s older brother Byron introduced her to H.A. “Bing” Lohafer and on June 3, 1951, Jo and Bing were united in marriage at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. They were the parents of two children, Brian and Jill.
The couple enjoyed attending dances at the Acova Ballroom, as well as camping with their friends and family, and supporting the Avoca community. They enjoyed attending functions and sporting events that involved their children and grandchildren.
Jo was a great host and loved entertaining and socializing with friends; her door was always open to those that stopped by. Brian and Jill were very involved in athletics, especially swimming. Jo and Bing were huge supporters; Bing would announce at the swim meets and Jo would keep score.
In 1960, Bing began working with Arno Schriefer in the insurance business. Jo worked as the secretary until they sold their business upon retiring in 1992. She served on the Avoca City Council after Bing’s death in 2002.
She moved to Peace Haven Retirement Community in Walnut in December of 2012. She was always a sports fanatic and she especially enjoyed watching the Creighton Blue Jays with her friends at Peace Haven.
She died on Monday, December 16, 2013 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa having attained the age of 81 years, 11 months and 9 days. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Bing and brother Byron. She is survived by her son, Brian Lohafer and his wife Tina of Basehor, Kansas; her daughter, Jill and her husband Darrell Stamp of Walnut, Iowa; her grandchildren: Brooke and her husband Heath Schesser of Gardner, Kansas, Keri and her husband Anthony Alloway of Olathe, Kansas, Erin and her husband Hunter Henry of Gardner, Adam Stamp and his wife Nikky of Ankeny, Iowa, and Erica and her husband James Fifield of Walnut; nine great-grandchildren; her brother Dennis Kaven and his wife Ann of Ankeny; sister-in-law Jan Kaven of Golden, Colorado; other relatives and friends.
Pastor Steve Lewis officiated the 10:30 AM funeral service at Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut, Iowa on Friday, December 20, 2013. Sarah Kock, Jeff Krueger, and Erica Fifield provided the music. Burial was held in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca with Heath Schesser, Anthony Alloway, Hunter Henry, Adam Stamp, Scott Kaven, and Jim Fifield serving as casket bearers.
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Jo’s older brother Byron introduced her to H.A. “Bing” Lohafer and on June 3, 1951, Jo and Bing were united in marriage at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. They were the parents of two children, Brian and Jill.
The couple enjoyed attending dances at the Acova Ballroom, as well as camping with their friends and family, and supporting the Avoca community. They enjoyed attending functions and sporting events that involved their children and grandchildren.
Jo was a great host and loved entertaining and socializing with friends; her door was always open to those that stopped by. Brian and Jill were very involved in athletics, especially swimming. Jo and Bing were huge supporters; Bing would announce at the swim meets and Jo would keep score.
In 1960, Bing began working with Arno Schriefer in the insurance business. Jo worked as the secretary until they sold their business upon retiring in 1992. She served on the Avoca City Council after Bing’s death in 2002.
She moved to Peace Haven Retirement Community in Walnut in December of 2012. She was always a sports fanatic and she especially enjoyed watching the Creighton Blue Jays with her friends at Peace Haven.
She died on Monday, December 16, 2013 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa having attained the age of 81 years, 11 months and 9 days. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Bing and brother Byron. She is survived by her son, Brian Lohafer and his wife Tina of Basehor, Kansas; her daughter, Jill and her husband Darrell Stamp of Walnut, Iowa; her grandchildren: Brooke and her husband Heath Schesser of Gardner, Kansas, Keri and her husband Anthony Alloway of Olathe, Kansas, Erin and her husband Hunter Henry of Gardner, Adam Stamp and his wife Nikky of Ankeny, Iowa, and Erica and her husband James Fifield of Walnut; nine great-grandchildren; her brother Dennis Kaven and his wife Ann of Ankeny; sister-in-law Jan Kaven of Golden, Colorado; other relatives and friends.
Pastor Steve Lewis officiated the 10:30 AM funeral service at Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut, Iowa on Friday, December 20, 2013. Sarah Kock, Jeff Krueger, and Erica Fifield provided the music. Burial was held in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca with Heath Schesser, Anthony Alloway, Hunter Henry, Adam Stamp, Scott Kaven, and Jim Fifield serving as casket bearers.
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