Joan H Brubacher

Joan Goering Brubacher passed away peacefully on January 11, 2026 in Newton, Kansas after a long battle with dementia. Joan was born on September 23, 1948 in Moundridge, Kansas to Harold H. and Elma (Goering) Goering. She joined her parents and brothers, Keith and Eugene, on the farm west of Moundridge. In her youth she attended Eden Mennonite Church and Moundridge Rural High School where she participated in choir, band and cheerleading. Music, service in the church, and enjoying sports from the sideline continued to bring her joy and meaning throughout her life. After high school, Joan followed family tradition and attended Bethel College where she graduated in 1970 with a degree in Psychology and Sociology.

On December 19, 1970, Wade Brubacher officially convinced Joan to marry him. Together they raised three children - Anne, Kate, and Jacob. Joan fervently supported her community in both the church and greater Newton through service on boards, volunteer work, and active participation in area organizations. She cherished the institutions and relationships that so enriched her life in south central Kansas. Joan also joined Wade in the family business, Brubacher Brothers Custom Harvesting, and went on the summer wheat harvest from Texas to Montana from 1971-1990 where she cooked for a crew of men and cared for her active children.

When the harvesting days ended, Joan was able to pursue her vocation in social work. Her focus was older adults, and she served them with skill and compassion. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Wichita State University and eventually became director of Prairie View Mental Health Center’s caregiver support groups where she saw older adults and their families in five counties and provided individual psychotherapy. In addition, she coordinated psychiatric providers and in-service training on mental health issues for a consortium involving 17 long-term facilities in Kansas and Missouri. In 2008, Joan received an award from the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging for her significant contributions in the field of aging. Joan was with Prairie View for 30 years, beginning while she was still a student at Bethel.

Joan’s work with older adults was a calling in which she found fulfillment, but her greatest accomplishment was her work as a mother. Constant nurture, support and patience defined this role and she executed it with all that she had for as long as she could. If one of her children had an event, she was there, with a smile, some snacks and an honest assessment afterwards. Joan also put care and attention into creating a warm home to which her children still gravitate.

Joan is survived by her husband Wade and her children Anne (Pablo Ceres), Kate (Grayson Murphy), and Jacob (Marie). She has eight grandchildren - Elle and Grace Ceres; Eleanor, Grayson, and Harold Murphy; and Olivia, Tucker, and Claire Brubacher. Joan is also survived by her brothers, in-laws and many nephews and nieces.

Funeral services will be held at Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton, Kansas on February 14, 2026 at 11am. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Joan’s name to Bethel College Advancement Office, 300 East 27th Street, North Newton, Kansas 67117 or through Bethel’s online portal with the same designation.