Joan E. Byrnes

Joan Elizabeth Herbin Byrnes, 78, of Hanover, KS, passed away Thursday, March 12, 2009 at the Hanover Hospital following a prolonged illness. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 16, at St John's Catholic Church in Hanover. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 15, at the church prior to the rosary service at 7:00 p.m. Joan was born May 15, 1930 in Jamestown, KS, the daughter of Leon A. and Bertha (Schulte) Herbin. Joan grew up in Jamestown, attending the Jamestown Public Schools through her sophomore year of high school. As a junior, she attended Mount St. Scholastica Academy in Atchison, KS, where she graduated in 1948. She continued her education at Mount St Scholastica College, majoring in Art, with a double minor in English and Philosophy. A gifted artist, she received international recognition when one of her watercolors captured first place in worldwide competition during her junior year. The winning paintings were exhibited throughout Europe on a two-year tour. She met and married her college sweetheart, Bill Byrnes, while in college. They married on February 9, 1952 while he was serving in the United States Navy during the Korean War conflict. Between 1952 and 1954, they lived in San Diego, Long Beach and San Francisco, California - wherever Bill's ship, the Ulvert M. Moore, was in dry dock between engagements. Following Bill's discharge from the Navy in 1954, they moved to Jamestown, where Joan grew up. During this time, she was very active in St. Mary's Catholic Church Altar Society. They relocated to Hanover when they purchased the Community State Bank. Shortly after moving, they undertook a complete modernization and remodel of the bank building. A labor of love, Joan managed and designed all of the interior and decorative aspects of the project. In 2002, Joan suffered a massive stroke from which she never fully recovered. She has been a resident of the intermediate Swing Bed unit of the hospital's Long Term Care Center until recently, when she was admitted to the hospital. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leon A. and Bertha Schulte Herbin; and most recently her husband, William “Bill” Byrnes, January 2008. She is survived by one brother, Armin John Herbin of Jamestown, KS; two daughters, Lisa Byrnes Bircher and husband Joe, of Brentwood, TN, and Betsy Wineinger and husband Bill of Lincoln, KS; one son, William J. Byrnes III of Kansas City, MO; five grandchildren, Chelsey, Nick and Travis Wineinger, Allison and Ashley Bircher; and two great-granddaughters, Kenna Bircher and Alexa Cortinas. A memorial fund has been established through the Hanover Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joan E. Byrnes, please visit our flower store.