Jeanette Ann Brose, 88, of Valley Falls, KS passed away Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Homestead Assisted Living of Topeka, KS. She was born at home on the family farm May 28, 1935 in Valley Falls, KS, the daughter of Leonard and Nellie (Oswald) Hamon.

Jeanette attended a one room school house close to her family- home north of Valley Falls in the Coal Creek community for elementary school and graduated from Valley Falls High School in 1953. After school, she worked for three years as an operator at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Topeka, KS. During those years, she and Melvin began their lifelong adventure. Their love of the Jitterbug (a swing dance) kept them busy nearly every Saturday night.

On September 1, 1956, Jeanette was united in marriage to Melvin Leon Brose at St. Mary- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Valley Falls. They shared over 67 years of marriage before Melvin passed away on January 1, 2024.

Jeanette was a loving wife and mother raising their four children on the family farm in Valley Falls. Jeanette was an organizer and took pride in her home, garden and family, as well as several part-time jobs throughout her life. As her children grew and moved from home, she found employment to keep her busy. She attended office training at Washburn University and worked for nine years as a secretary for the Kansas Department of Transportation prior to retiring.

Once retired, spurred by Jeanette- love of travel, Melvin and Jeanette embarked on many years of seasonal employment traveling from one to the next in their 28-foot fifth-wheel trailer. Their adventure included working for U.S. Fish and Wildlife and National Parks: Cape Meares (Oregon), Acadia (Maine), Voyageurs (Minnesota), Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan), Yellowstone (Wyoming), Olympic (Washington) as well as Walt Disney World (Florida) and the Space Center NASA (Texas). They continued to adventure travel after fully retiring and settling in Topeka, Kansas for ten years. Their last four years were spent back in Valley Falls nearer to family as they had during Fall and Spring during their years on the road. Jeanette would say they aim to be where it is 70 degrees year around…. they just traveled north in the summer, south in the winter, and home to Kansas when the weather agreed with their goal.

Jeanette- “gift of gab” had her suited for the various jobs she undertook and her involvement in the numerous communities they became part of throughout life. In her hometown of Valley Falls, she had served as 4-H Community and Foods leader, St. Mary- Immaculate Conception Church education teacher, held most officer positions in St. Mary- Altar Society and the Vallerian Federated Women- Club, and helped with various projects for the school, family and memberships. She was proud of her assistance in organizing a campaign for the first swimming pool in Valley Falls.

Throughout her life, Jeanette didn’t know a stranger. She taught her children and grandchildren that talking with others was such a valuable skill. She would carry on conversations with everyone, including four-legged creatures. Although she couldn’t truly “talk to the animals”, during her years in Topeka she spent several days a week at the zoo. Lena, the orangutan, befriended her. She would run across the enclosure to sit across the glass from Jeanette. They would play peek-a-boo and blow kisses.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her husband, Melvin, and her parents.

Survivors include her four children Michael Brose (Lesa) of Valley Falls, Deidre Boyd (Patrick) of Valley Falls, Jeffrey Brose (Lisa) of Fort Collins, CO and Denise Jennings (Darren) of Valley Falls; brother, Carroll Hamon (Betty) of Carmichael, CA; 10 grandchildren, Christina, Dustin, Crystal, Dianna, Travis, Kelcie, Katie, Tyler, Austin and Audrey; 13 great grandchildren, Carson, Anna, Calleigh, Adelyn, Grace, Lexie, Liam, Tommy, Cameron, Anthony, Emma, Presley and Kasten; and niece/nephews, Greg, Kay and David.

Jeanette- wishes were to be cremated and her family has honored her wishes.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Friday, May 24, 2024 at the St. Mary- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Valley Falls, KS. The family will greet friends from 6-8 P.M. Thursday, May 23, 2024 at the St. Mary- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Rosary to be recited at 6:00 P.M. Memorials may be made to the Friends of the Topeka Zoo Inc. or to the Jefferson County Home Health and Hospice c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. To leave the family a condolence, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com