Joanne Phyllis Kehr

Joanne P. Kehr, 96, of Lansing, IA, died peacefully on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Thornton Manor in Lansing, surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 1st, at 11:00 AM at United Methodist Church, with Pastor James “Buck” Buckhahn officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, both in Lansing. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 AM until time of services at the church on Saturday. Thornburg – Grau Funeral Home in Lansing is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Mt. Hosmer Park, Gustave F. Kerndt VFW, or Auxiliary Post 5981, % Don Peters 664 Center St. Lansing, IA 52151; or Thornton Manor - patient recreation department, 1329 Main St. Lansing, IA, 52151. The service will be live streamed on the website of the church lansingiowaumc.org worship live stream.

Joanne Phyllis Kehr was the 2nd daughter born to William and Mabel (Gerkey) Kehr at her home at 121 N. Front St, Lansing, IA. Her big sister, Norma, was so excited to have a little sister. Joanne grew up and lived all of her life in Lansing. During her life she was an active member of many organizations and associations. She was baptized and a member of the First Presbyterian Church, she also taught Sunday School and initiated the “Children from A Third World Country” program through the Sunday School program. It is still in existence today in the United Methodist Church (following the consolidation of the First Presbyterian and the Evangelical United Brethren churches into the United Methodist Church).

She worked at the Lansing Button Factory for many years. When her uncle Al Kehr passed away, she joined her father to help out at the Kehr Brothers Hardware. When he retired, the business was taken over by Joanne and Ralph Bartels (Al Kehr’s son-in-law) and it became Kehr & Bartels Hardware. Today, the hardware store is in that same location is known as Lansing Hardware Hank. She assisted in organizing Lansing’s “Venetian Night” extravaganza on the Mississippi River which is held during the traditional “Lansing Fish Days” annual celebration.

Joanne was a Brownie Scout and Girl Scout Troop Leader. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Sweet Adelines, the Red Hat Club, the Wa-Tan-Ye Club (a historic, national service club for business and professional women), and volunteer in the gift shop at Gundersen’s Hospital in La Crosse. She was a longtime member of the Old Stone School Association and the Lansing High School Alumni Association (both near and dear to her heart). She was proud to support the local school and to have one of the most complete sets of school yearbooks. Joanne loved going on many of the Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank trips.

She loved her family and her family loved and adored her. Joanne spent almost every summer and Christmas vacation with her sister and brother-in-law and their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She will truly be missed by all.

She is survived by her niece, Charlene Dunn Green McGill; her nephews and spouses; Bill (Melody) Dunn and Roger (Ruth) Dunn: her great-nieces and spouses, Anna Dunn, Amanda Dunn (David) Gonzalez, Lisa Dunn (William) Love, and Norma Christina Dunn (Jaime) Cubias; great-nephews and spouses, David (Angela) Green, William Dunn, and Christopher (Laura) Dunn; great-great nieces and nephews, Price Green, Jase Green, Taylor Green, Eden Gonzalez, Emma Gonzalez, Addisyn Dunn, William Nicholas Love, and Madeleine Love; niece-in-law, Barbara Dunn Roland; and a great-niece-in-law, Megan Green.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister and brother-in-law, Norma Kehr and Robert Dunn; her niece, Barbara Ann Dunn; her nephew, Richard "Ricky" Dunn; her great-nephew, Mitchell Scott Green; and her nephew-in-law Terry McGill.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Thornton Manor, Sam Kuhn, Bonnie Weymiller, and all of the staff for their great care of Joanne over the past several years.

Casketbearers are Bill, Will, Roger, and Chris Dunn, Price Green, and Lisa Love.