Joan C. Frazier

Joan Corbin Frazier, 99, of Topeka, Ks, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 7th, surrounded by family.   She was born on January 15, 1925 east of Maple Hill in a small country house, and was the third of five children born to Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin.  Her original birth certificate, which she did not actually see a copy of until 1946 when she went to cash out a savings bond, noted that her actual name listed on her birth certificate was spelled:  Joeann Corbin.  She legally corrected the spelling of her name to “Joan (pronounced JoAnn)”, which was the name she had been using for 21 years.  

She started her education at a country school (District 43) in Maple Hill and attended Maple Hill schools from 1^st through 11^th grade.  She was active in various school activities including cheerleading, basketball, and chorus. She relocated to Topeka for her senior year of high school due to her father changing jobs and graduated from Topeka High School on May 21^st, 1943.  After graduation Joan worked at Hallmark Cards on Kansas Avenue in Topeka, and later for the Santa Fe Railroad.

Joan met Richard G. Andrews, who was serving in the US Army at Fort Riley, and married him on April 20, 1946 in the Maple Hill Congregational Church.  Shortly after their wedding they moved and rented a home in Thomaston, CT, and while in Thomaston, Joan worked for the Plume and Atwood Manufacturing Company until they moved back to Maple Hill, Kansas in the spring of 1952.  Joan and Richard had three children, Bruce Charles, Christine Mae and Coleen Ann, and resided in Maple Hill until that marriage ended in divorce on May 18, 1965.   

Joan had been a stay at home mother and homemaker since marrying Richard in 1946 and after their divorce attended Clarks Business School in Topeka where she received a Secretary/Stenographer II certification and re-entered the work force in the fall of 1965.   Her first employment was at Kansas Neurological Institute as a secretary, where she later transferred to the Docking State Office building.  Joan continued to work as an administrative assistant in several agencies for the State of Kansas until her retirement in January of 1990.  

While working at the Docking State Office building Joan met Robert Lyle Frazier, and they were married on June 8, 1968 at the Maple Hill Congregational Church, and then relocated into a new home in Mayetta, Ks.  Joan and Robert had 32 wonderful years together until Robert’s death on February 6, 2002.

After retirement Joan volunteered at the Veterans Administrative Hospital and for the Senior Olympics in Topeka, Kansas for many years.  She was also an active member of the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church, Mayetta Methodist Church and later Lowman United Methodist Church in Topeka.   She is a lifetime member of the Maple Hill Auxiliary and received her 65 year pin for membership in Mayetta Order of the Eastern Star in 2019.  

Joan’s love of music began when she started taking piano lessons at age 12 or 13 years.  She had very few lessons and started playing “by ear.”   She became an accomplished pianist and played the piano and organ for her church, Order of the Eastern Star and for her family throughout her life.  

Joan had an incredible life that embodied the qualities of unconditional love, a strength of spirit, and an unending generosity that could be seen in her love for her family and friends.   She was an inspiration to her family living each day to the fullest, enjoying vacations, events and activities with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She had an amazing sense of humor, and her wit was razor sharp, making her whole family laugh with her outrageous and silly sayings.  

Joan was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin, her husband Robert Frazier, four siblings Lucille Clark (Maple Hill), George Corbin (Topeka), Sarah Justice (Maple Hill) and Vivian Wild (Maple Hill), and a son-in-law James Tyler (Fuquay Varina, NC).  

Survivors include her son Bruce (Laurie) Andrews of Topeka, daughter, Christine (Lee) Tuck of Topeka, and daughter Coleen Tyler of Fuquay Varina, NC;  9 grandchildren -  Kristopher (Jill) Tuck of Meriden, Alicia (Christopher) Padilla of Topeka, Mollee (Jeff) Wilkerson of Topeka, Cameron (Tami) Tyler of Linden, NC, Adam (Jennifer) Tuck of Topeka, Kaney Tyler of Fuquay Varina, NC, Lindsey Andrews of Topeka, Scott (Jamie) Andrews of Topeka and Kelsey Andrews of Topeka; and 20 great grandchildren – Aysia Padilla, Maecy Tuck, Emmy Goldberg, Olivia Tuck, Jaxon Padilla, Halle Tuck, Aidan Tuck, Rylee McKinley, Averi Tuck, Max Tuck, Tucker Wilkerson, Parker Andrews, Taegan Andrews, Anella Tuck, Ryder Andrews, Ava Wilkerson, Conner Tyler, Hadley Andrews, Carli Tyler and Knox Wilkerson.  

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 14^th from 9:30 am – 11 am, with a memorial service immediately following at Piper Funeral Home, 714 W Maple St., St Marys Ks. 66536.   Burial will follow at the Old Stone Church Cemetery in Maple Hill.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Joan’s name to Lowman United Church Choir, 4101 SW 15^th St., Topeka, Ks. 66604, or to Midland Care Hospice House at 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, Ks. 66606.  The family would also like to extend their sincere appreciation for the kindness, compassion, and  care she received from the staff at Topeka Presbyterian Manor and Midland Hospice House.