Janet Irby Braun (1941-2025)
Janet Irby Braun, 84, of Fort Scott, KS passed into eternal life at the University of Kansas Medical Center on Friday, November 7, 2025. She was born in Oklahoma City, OK on March 28, 1941 to Dr. Pratt and Pauline Robinson Irby.
She grew up in Fort Scott as the proud big sister of Robert and Mary. The siblings enjoyed traveling with their family and doting on their beloved dog, Annie. Janet enjoyed being a Rainbow Girl, acting in plays, and serving as a Fort Scott High School class officer for the class of 1959. She attended Baker University where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta, starring in several theatre productions and earning her degree in elementary education in 1963. She later earned her Masters in Special Education at the University of Kansas in 1966.
Janet and her former spouse, Edward Braun, raised three children together: Becky, Ted, and Mac, living first in Durham, NC, then St. Louis, MO, then Orlando, FL, and finally Fort Scott, KS. Janet loved being a mom and was known for transporting her kids and all their friends in her famous red van to all kinds of activities including dance lessons, baseball games, swim team practices, golf lessons, and play practices.
Janet was a caring and compassionate special education teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School. She loved supporting her students and helping them soar. She rooted for every student during their time in her classroom and loved staying in touch with them as they grew up. She won the Kansas Special Education Teacher of the Year award in 2001.
Janet loved everything about living in Fort Scott. She was known for her philanthropy, service, and friendship in her beloved hometown. She was a member of the U234 School Board from 2003 to 2019, serving as president from 2012 to 2014. She was on the Good Ol’ Days Steering Committee from its inception. She was also a founding board member of the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and served as Chairperson from 2007 to 2013, and has been a board member from 2019 to the present. Her faith was important to her as a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church. There, Janet was a member of the Memorials Committee and was Secretary of the Administrative Board. She served on the Visioning A Healthier Bourbon County Board as well as the Children’s Advocacy Board in Pittsburg. She was a member of the Fort Scott Rotary Club, serving on the Rotary Board. She was proud to be named the Rotarian of the year in 2008, 2010, and 2019. A member of the Bourbon County Garden Club, her home was on the Secret Garden Tour in 2009. She was the Bourbon County Representative on the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Board. She also served on the Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, and won the Keystone Award in 2010 and the Chamber of Commerce Community Spirit Award in 2018. She recently celebrated her 61st anniversary of membership in the PEO sisterhood. She was also the winner of the Wal-Mart Citizenship Award in 1997.
Janet loved spending time with her eight grandchildren, who affectionately called her “Nana.” She was their biggest cheerleader, and attended many musicals, awards ceremonies, and gymnastics meets with bells on. Later in life, she supported all of her grandchildren’s endeavors virtually. In recent months, Janet loved visiting individually with each of her grandchildren.
Janet was a connoisseur of all things Broadway and enjoyed many trips to New York City. She loved gardening, tending to her backyard oasis at 1606 Clairmont Street as well as her pink mums at the Presbyterian Village. She enjoyed travels to Ireland, Switzerland, England, and Greece. She also enjoyed volunteering as a costumer for productions at FSCC and in the community.
She is survived by her loving family: daughter Becky and (Pat) Hulla and their children Brendan, Katie, Kellen and Ryan of Overland Park, KS, son Dr. Ted Braun and (Karen) Braun and their daughters Rachel and Allie of Leawood, KS, and son Mac and (Jodi) Braun and their children Emily (Justus) and Nick of Gilbert, AZ. She is also survived by her brother Robert Irby of Faribault, MN and a sister, Mary Rio of Austin, TX, and a niece, Jessica Rio, and her daughters, Paulina and Sofia, of Austin, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Pratt and Pauline Robinson Irby, and her dear friend Jackie Webster.
Janet is missed already by her friends and family. Her family would like to thank all of her caregivers and friends at the Presbyterian Village for everything they did to support her in her later years.
Funeral services for Janet Irby Braun will be on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Scott with Pastor Christopher Eshelman officiating. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the funeral beginning at 11:00 a.m. The burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and sent to or left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Friends and family may sign the online guest book and share memories at www.konantzcheney.com.
“Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset. Swiftly fly the years one season following another, laden with happiness and tears.”