Joan Eileen Brady

Joan Eileen (Rieke) Brady, born in Wichita, Kansas on August, 2nd, 1942, passed away August 11th, 2025, at the age of 83. She was a life-long resident of Shawnee, Kansas with a long list of societal contributions for which she will forever be remembered. She was a kind-hearted, giving person who sought out ways to help others. She always wanted to make her mark and make a difference. Strangers, as well as personal friends and family, knew that if help was needed, she would break her back and her bank account to assist. Ironically, she literally broke her neck in the end. Becoming paralyzed from the neck down from a fall which contributed to her ultimate demise, which still did not stop her completely, at first. She continued, even in her last days, to comfort and reassure others that things would be ok. She often said that this (dying) is inevitable and “it is what it is.” She did not want to be a burden nor would she ever want to lead a continued life - without really living.

Joan was a fierce proponent of finding the fun in every situation. She found reasons to celebrate everything from birthdays and holidays (like most people), but also to celebrate everyone and anyone’s accomplishments, milestones or next chapters. For instance, in 2014, before she began cancer treatment for colon cancer, she completed her “Bucket List” trip - driving to the Canada side of the Niagra Falls, traveling southward down the East Coast to St. Augustine, Florida and then home to Kansas. It was over a 5000-mile trip, in part, accompanied by her sister, Janet. Her cancer diagnosis became yet another reason to make the most of it and to have fun because of it!

She was an avid card and present giver, always looking for just the right, appropriate, meaningful, useful, practical and downright silly gifts. If she could relate a memory, a trait or a joke to a gift she’d buy it, because making others smile would light her up, too. She liked to give the entire room of people gifts for Christmas, making sure to never leave anyone there without something to open. Joan consistently wrote notes, poems and letters to ensure that her love was known. She also liked to be helpful and artistic - once creating a booklet which had her custom-painted rendition of Martha’s Vineyard as the cover-page, listing out the birthdays, anniversary dates, phone numbers and addresses for each of her family members, to keep everyone on track and organized.

In 2022, at age 79, when she was about to battle yet another bout of cancer, this one being stage four metastatic Melanoma of her lungs, she decided she wasn’t going to miss her second opportunity to jump from a plane! (The first one she did with her son, Mitch, for her 57th birthday). She had been planning to do so again upon her 80th birthday. Her reasoning was that “If George Bush can jump at age 80, then I can too!” But a little earlier than she anticipated, she bought three of her four kids who could attend, tickets to Florida because it was too cold in KC then, and all four jumped together. It was exhilarating and a story for sure!

Upon her return, she also decided she wanted to have a funeral while she was still here, so she could enjoy the guests. Instead, her children, not wanting to be too morbid, renamed it the “Pre-Cancer Treatment Party” and threw it at the Old Shawnee Town Hall. About 300 people attended to wish her well. Prior birthdays, she looked for the most adventuresome ways to signify milestone ages. At 65, she enlisted the help of a motorcyclist to deliver her to her birthday party, while wearing a scuba-diving suit, with goggles and flippers donned! She did that because, “The city wouldn’t let me parachute into the front yard.” At 70, she drove a racecar at the Kansas Speedway to celebrate, speeds topping out at 137mph. Joan looked for the crazy, exciting activities that would exhilarate and cause a ruckus amongst her friends and family. She wasn’t afraid to try - once crashing into a tree in the front yard while “learning” to ride.

Besides these silly antics, Joan liked to canoe, whitewater raft, ride as a motorcycle passenger, sit side-by-side next to her husband/pilot in a small airplane while traveling the country with kids in tow, water/snow ski and most of all dance! She was known to encourage dancing with her children and demonstrated her skills on the kitchen “dance floor”. She was an avid reader, like to host parties and carry on with her “Kindergarten Group”, Ann, Joyce and Donna - friends from, you guessed it, Kindergarten on up! Friends for life. They and their husbands were so precious to her, with them having the same mindsets to really enjoy life and make the most out of it. For instance, the women of the group have been known to recognize their sophistication and pension for light-heartedness, by joining the “Red Hat Society” movement, donning red hats on occasion to celebrate yet another life era. Each of the fabulous four ladies were also known to dress up like the “Golden Girls” to go out on the town. The pictures of this are priceless!

On another note, sadly, one person in the group, whom she missed dearly, was Ed (Eddie) Kempf. He was a life-long friend, with whom she was previously involved during her high school/college-age years and more recently a companion to, for over ten years, until his passing some time ago. Ultimately, these people, whom she’d known all her life, were all part of her “chosen” family.

Besides being very sociable, Joan was also very active. Early in life, in high school, she had the “audacity” and the guts to try out for the boy’s football team, thinking that girls should be allowed to play, too. Of course, in the 1950’s, she didn’t make the team. Instead, she won a poetry contest, represented St. Joseph’s High School in the Johnson County Spelling Bee and earned third place at the Kansas City Science Fair. She played softball (instead of football) and found her way onto the Kansas City All Star Softball team. She continued her athletic involvement as the first elected President of the Johnson County Girls Athletic Association. She was a high school Homecoming Attendant and was elected Treasurer of the Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority at Donnelly College.

At that point, marriage was her next step. She was married to Robert M. Brady for nineteen years and had four children: Robin M. (Brady) Kreutzer, Robert (Bob) M. Brady, Thomas (Tom) M. Brady and Michael (Mitch) V. Brady. Grandchildren include: Dayne Kreutzer, Shaela Kreutzer; Blake Brady, Hannah Brady; Alexia Brady-Smith, Paige Brady; and Jake Brady. Great Grandchildren include: Bently, Lexi, Liam, Bella, Zuri; Luna, Sawyer; Blair, Daniella and Alex. She is also leaving behind a whole host of nieces and nephews that she loved dearly, too: Matthew; Colby and Kristen; Bobby Lee, Sami Jo, Desirae and Kaitlyn; Danielle, Jordan and Cole. Joan was the first of nine children. She and her siblings: Jean, Larry, Steve, Don, Jerry, Janet and Lee, were very close-knit. She helped raise them as a young girl and then became the matriarch of the family when her parents, Vincent Henry Rieke and Eileen Rosella (Swope) Rieke passed on. Joan was the glue for the family, being a confidant and shoulder to cry on for all of us. She always said, “From my experience...” and would give advice from there. She supported each endeavor, but if she needed to, she’d warn about things that might ultimately cause discord. She always wanted to maintain peace, so she was a forgiving soul, too.

As she progressed, Joan found herself running a full-time armed guard and patrol service, Security Service Specialists, (SSS), sometimes having to put on a uniform, strap on a gun and walk the entirety of shopping malls at night by herself! But, that wasn’t as fulfilling for her as it might have seemed to others. She continued to expand her interests into the world of law enforcement/security and began Confidential Investigations to track and document those who found the confine of rules (or vows) too much to abide by. She often was hired to collect photographic evidence of cheating spouses or thieves of businesses.

Additionally, she was elected President of the local chapter of The American Society for Industrial Security. The company, SSS, was hired to be in charge of the private security detail for the 1976 Republican Presidential Convention in Kansas City. Also, being married to a police officer, she was elected President of the Police Wives Association. She was also involved in the Catholic church and became President of the Church Board of Directors and was the first woman President of the Johnson County Parish Council. At one point, she ran a concerted campaign for City Council of Shawnee, only to lose that race by 200 votes. Later, she said, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.”

As it must be evident by now, Joan worked two, sometimes three, jobs to help support her family. She worked in the banking, technology, printing, retail, temp/perm hiring and real estate industries throughout her life. She also engaged in charitable work, offering her assistance to “Habitat for Humanity” projects, offered through The Church of the Resurrection and led by a team of friends and family members she’d gathered together herself. Additionally, as a Senior herself, she continued to volunteer as a Johnson County “Catch-a-Ride” driver, helping her co-Senior’s get to doctor appointments or otherwise to manage their lives easier.

Ultimately, later in life, she demonstrated to her grandchildren her adventurousome spirit. She often took them around the city to show them the sights and to introduce them to experiences that otherwise would not have been shared. Going to Crown Center, taking the walkway to the Union Station and being there for the Fourth of July fireworks display was one of many traditions she instilled. Traditions, Family and Making Memories were at the core of her existence.

Recent events led to having her 83rd birthday party at St. Lukes Hospice House, during which many friends and family visited her for the last time. Joan was grateful, as was her family, for the time and her ability to speak individually with so many during her last days.

Many may not know, Joan decided that her last act of charity would be accomplished by donating herself to the University of Kansas Medical Centers’, “Willed Body Program”, which allows individuals to donate their bodies for medical education and research, significantly contributing to the training of future healthcare professionals. The website describes the program succinctly:

Purpose of the Program

The Willed Body Program is essential for the education and research at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Donors become the first patients for medical students, allowing them to learn about human anatomy and functions in a respectful and educational environment. This program also supports various surgical departments and research initiatives, helping to advance medical procedures and techniques that benefit patients in the future.

Therefore, the family will not be having a traditional funeral service. Joan stated, “It’d be kind of silly to have a funeral that I won’t be attending myself.” Therefore, when KUMC returns her cremated remains, the family will do a small graveside service before ultimately laying her to rest beside her parents, in the Shawnee Cemetery. Please send donations, in lieu of flowers, to Kansas University at Donate to Cancer. This link will allow a donation specifically for patient care purposes. It’s an important charity to her because she was a cancer survivor not just once, but twice! The KU Cancer Center staff and programs were responsible for saving her life.

Another option is to support Shawnee Services, at Shawnee Community Services | Contact Us. This is an organization for which she raised $20,000 from her office staff alone (at Reece and Nichols of Shawnee) to construct the building now used to help the community.

With all that she achieved, she wrote that she’s “most proud of (her) four loving, caring and successful kids - watching them achieve recognition in their fields and beginning their own families.”

Her family, society and the world itself is now missing a firecracker of a woman who quietly collected achievements and acts of service that rival the best of them! Her nickname in the family, is “St. Joan” for a reason. She was a very caring, involved and generous person who self-sacrificed her comfort for the benefit of other human beings. We know that God gave us, her family and friends, a true gift - her presence in our lives. She will be missed greatly.