A Celebration of Life Mass for Mary Jane (“Jane”) Prohaska will be held at St. Ann Catholic Church on her birthday, June 8, 2022 with a Rosary preceding the Mass at 10:30 a.m. followed by prelude music chosen in part by Jane. The Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m.

Jane was born on June 8, 1930 in Everest, Kansas to Henry John (“Henry”) and Pauline Cecilia (“Polly”) (Zeller) Kuckelman. She married John Joseph Prohaska on November 28, 1953 in Everest, Kansas at St Joseph Catholic Church. John predeceased her on May 6, 1996. Jane was also preceded in death by her parents, brothers Robert and Vernon Kuckelman and daughter, Linda. Jane passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 12, 2021. She is survived by four children Michael (Mary); Mark (Mai); Kathryn (Christopher) and Julie (Michael), ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Jane was a graduate of Everest High School in Everest, Kansas. After high school she entered nurses training and was a 1951 graduate of St. Mary’s School of Nursing. Jane worked for over 30 years as an R.N. starting at the Atchison, Kansas Hospital, then at the Hiawatha Community Hospital and later in her nursing career at long-term care facilities in Hiawatha, Kansas. She was a long time member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Hiawatha.

Jane was an accomplished musician in her early years. She played the piano, organ, clarinet, and violin and had a beautiful soprano voice. Jane loved to read especially science fiction and mystery books. She was also an avid gardener and enjoyed many years after her retirement as an R.N. in her gardens growing beautiful flowers and lots of tomatoes and zucchini. She designed and built not only a rock waterfall for her yard but also a brick patio and sidewalk. Jane enjoyed having pets around her and had a number of cats, dogs and canaries. In her later years, Jane’s dog Pixie followed by her rescue dog, Rosie, were not only her loyal companions but also her “ears” helping her know what was going on around her when her hearing loss became profound. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Jane lived a good long life with many blessings. As noted above a Celebration of Life Mass will be held for Jane on June 8, 2022 at St. Ann Catholic Church in Hiawatha, Kansas.