Joan Eve Bergin Stallbaumer passed away on Sunday May 2, 2021 shortly after live streaming her final mass and the graduation of her granddaughter, Amelia, from Regis University. She was in her home, surrounded by people who loved her after a swift decline from a fall. She had been in hospice care since September, 2020 following a breast cancer diagnosis in the summer of 2019. Joan had kids, grandkids, caregivers and friends caring deeply for her on her final journey for whom she expressed daily gratitude.
Joan was born in St Louis, MO on Nov 27, 1929, the only child of Gabe and Inez Bergin. Joan attended Dewey Elementary School where she remained close friends with the “Dewey Girls” all their lives. She went to an all-girls high school, Rosati-Kain, and then started college at St. Louis University in 1947. Her major was accounting but she quickly decided it was not for her. She transferred to Washington University for 2 semesters to acquire the credits necessary to attend Central Institute for the Deaf. There she received her BA in Speech Therapy and taught children in the speech and hearing clinics. Later, she continued teaching children speech lessons in her home for many years.
She met Fridolin Joseph (Stally) Stallbaumer, who was studying dentistry at St. Louis U, during young adult activities at their church, Little Flower in St. Louis. They fell in love and were married June 21, 1952. They settled in Overland Park, KS and spent the next 49 years enriching their lives with the birth of 7 children and involvement in their beloved Queen of the Holy Rosary parish. They were active in Marriage Encounter to enrich their marriage, in Dinner for Eight to encourage racial diversity, and the Sanctuary of Hope to support AIDS awareness. She was a member of the Society of Daughters of St Francis de Sales which supported her faith journey and she celebrated 50 years of membership in 2019.
She served Queen of the Holy Rosary throughout her many years as a parishioner. She took delight most recently in the prayer chain. For years she served at funerals, helping with the food pantry and delivering Meals on Wheels. When she could no longer keep up, her grandchildren Eve and Frido became her legs and arms helping with her volunteer endeavors.
She worked with her husband, Stally (Doc) at his dental office in the years preceding his retirement and enjoyed meeting and greeting many wonderful patients who were also dear friends. She was always available to family and friends with a listening ear and positive outlook. Book club, bridge club, square dancing - she would participate in anything to be around people. She enjoyed learning new things, talking to new people (even on Amtrak) and was always fully engaged in life. She was happy to have been able to celebrate her 90th birthday party before the COVID-19 shutdown. The restrictions limited her ability to be with her friends and family as much as she would have liked and she was proud to be fully vaccinated to receive hugs and visits again.
She was an avid reader and shared her love of books, newspapers and magazines with her friends, children and grandchildren. Her granddaughter, Nicole, dedicated her 2021 Capstone Project on literacy for her Doctor of Education. Jennifer was able to read the dedication to Joan while she was still aware and she heard how her life impacted others through shared knowledge and education.
She was preceded in death by her parents Gabe and Inez Bergin, Auntie Jane and Ginny Bergin, her beloved husband Stally, and two sons Mike and Pat, as well as many dear friends.
She leaves behind a legacy of faith and love through her 5 living children and their spouses: Susan Gustafson (Bob), Ann Abare (Tim), Ellen Hoffman (Terry), Jennifer Rouyer (David) and Matthew (Lauren), and her daughters-in-law Jan Stallbaumer and Pam Schnieder; 24 Grandchildren: Kyle Gustafson (Kate), Erin Gustafson (Komnith), Cristin Gustafson Mattione (Mark), Leslie Gustafson (Wesley), Brad Abare (Jamaica), Mark Abare (Jamie), Craig Abare (Kara), Luke Abare (Sarah), Joy Abare León (Angel), Paul Abare (Grecia), Nicole Hoffman Talbert (Gene), Lauren Hoffman Taylor (Chaté), Kelli Hoffman Trom (Gavin), Amelia Rouyer, Eve Rouyer, Fridolin Rouyer, Max Stallbaumer, Sydney Stallbaumer, Gunnar Stallbaumer, Patrick Stallbaumer Jr. (Julie Shrack), Sam Stallbaumer (Jade), Sophie Stallbaumer Crow (Tanner), Madolyn Stallbaumer (Nash), Jack Stallbaumer; 23 Great-grandchildren: Arlo Gardner; Lydia and Ramona Mattione; Miro and Jude Abare; Ava, Landon, Lily, and Ella Abare; Rainier Abare; Inez and Santiago León; Kloey, Donovyn, Eli, and Emrie Talbert; Gideon and Kaden Trom; Nora Stallbaumer; Elliott, Emmett, Ethan, and Xander Shrack.
Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will be at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, 71st and Metcalf, Overland Park, KS on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Visitation from at 9:30 to 10:10, Eulogy and Lighting Ceremony at 10:10; Mass at 10:30. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation and mass will also be livestreamed on www.queenoftheholyrosary.org or facebook.com/queenoftheholyrosary
In lieu of flowers the family invites memorial contributions to honor Joan’s commitment to others, to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care (who took such wonderful care of her the last seven months), Queen of the Holy Rosary or a charity of your choosing.