Forrest "Frosty" Robrahn

Mr. Forrest Preston Robrahn, of Burlington, Kansas, died Friday, April 18, 2025, at Coffey County Hospital in Burlington, KS. He was 93 years old.
Forrest, known as "Frosty" was born January 15, 1932, in Burlington, Kansas, the son of Gustaf and Nellie Maclaskey Robrahn. As a boy, he was raised in Burlington along with his nine siblings, tending to and working with their parents through some tough times during the Great Depression. At the age of 11, the family sustained the loss of their home and belongings in a fire. Frosty was an Eagle Scout and excelled in school, graduating from Burlington High School in 1950. His early life experiences left an indelible mark and entrenched in him the importance of strong moral principles, a good work ethic, and integrity. He joined the Kansas National Guard and served as a mess tent sergeant for 12 years in Burlington, which included the Korean War conflict.
On December 25, 1955, Frosty married Sylvia Jean Strawn in Burlington. In 1960, they purchased the W.E. & Sadie Strawn farm on the northwest edge of Burlington. They welcomed their son, Thomas Forrest Robrahn, in 1965. Together, the family built and moved to their current residence east of Burlington, along the Neosho River, in 1973.
Frosty worked for the Kansas Department of Transportation for 40 years, retiring in 1992. He worked on a statewide preliminary survey party, then was transferred to the construction department. Later, Frosty was promoted to an Engineer's Technician #5 until his retirement. He mostly worked out of the offices in Yates Center and Garnett. Frosty was the project engineer on the building of Interstate 35 in Osage County and the new Rock Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 75 and 4th Street in downtown Burlington.
While Frosty and Sylvia both maintain full-time work, they also operated their farm, growing corn, soybeans, and wheat. He raised cattle for several years, had some horses, and farmed together in the 1950s with his father-in-law, Tom Strawn. With the convincing of his wife, Frosty purchased a traveling gun irrigation system in 1974 to help water their crops. Later, in 1987, they updated to a center-pivot irrigation system that covers over 120 acres and still operates today on the farm east of Burlington. Frosty went to farming full-time after he retired from KDOT. Each year, he kept meticulous records on his operation, income/expenses, crop yields, labor, water usage, and even weather patterns. Frosty would even find time to help Sylvia tend her large garden in the summer, so he could enjoy the fresh food produced for their family.
Frosty was very patriotic and would fly the U.S. Flag every day. He believed in serving others and did so through various community service organizations and boards. This service includes being a member of the Congdon-Kepler Post #38 of the American Legion, the Burlington Methodist Church, and the boards of USD #244-Burlington Schools, Coffey County Agricultural Fair Association, Rock Creek Country Club, and the Burlington Masonic Lodge #66. Frosty served as Master in 1995 and was awarded his 60-year membership citation in June 2022. Occasionally, Sylvia would get Frosty to travel with her, and they went to various places in the United States. They most enjoyed traveling to Arizona in the winter months with the whole family, from Apache Junction to Scottsdale.
In 2009, Frosty was elated and proud at the arrival of his grandson, Caleb Thomas Strawn Robrahn. He and Sylvia would help babysit and care for him in his home while his parents worked from time to time. As Caleb grew, he would spend time at the farm with Frosty and ride his big-foot toy car up and down the sidewalk. One day, Sylvia had come home with groceries, and Caleb went to fetch them in his toy car, driving down the path. Once Grandma loaded the bags on the back, Caleb backed up, running over one of Grandpa's solar lights that lined the path. Caleb delivered the groceries to the porch, but Grandpa went out to inspect his light, telling Caleb that he had broken it. With that, Caleb drove back down the path, got out, looked at the light, looked at the ground where the light was, then looked at the back tire of the big-foot toy car. Caleb then looked at Grandpa and said, "I didn't break it, the tire did." Grandpa was defeated and retreated with the biggest smile on his face. Frosty and Caleb would enjoy playing tetherball, board games, swinging, and watching sports games on television. In later years, Frosty and Caleb always had a standing appointment for all Chiefs football games. Frosty loved attending all of Caleb's sporting events while growing up, which included rec soccer, rec basketball, rec baseball, and later junior high and high school football and baseball.
Frosty was preceded in death by his loving wife of 69 years, Sylvia, only three months ago. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Sandra Paxson, Nadine Efinger, Lavanche Roberts, and LaVerta Page, and brothers James, Marcellas, Vance, Edward, and Reese Robrahn. He is survived by his son, Thomas Robrahn and his wife, Kimberly, and a grandson, Caleb, all of Burlington, KS, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and many good friends.
Memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the Methodist Church in Burlington. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery at Burlington.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to USD #244's Wildcat Cares program, which provides and meets the needs of food/snacks, clothing, and personal hygiene products to students in the district, and sent in care to Jones Funeral Home, PO Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.