JoEllen Vrbka

JoEllen Vrbka, 82, formerly of Brainard, passed away February, 27, 2015 at St. Joseph's Villa, in David City.

Butler County has lost a dedicated worker in health care, someone who worked more than 40 years as nurse, director of nurses and hospital administrator.

JoEllen Hakenkamp was born Jan. 30, 1933 in McCook to Joseph and Claire (Beecham) Hakenkamp. She lived on a farm near McCook until eighth grade, when her family moved to Lincoln. She graduated from Blessed Sacrament High School in Lincoln and then from St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing as a registered nurse. JoEllen worked at St. Elizabeth Hospital for a year after graduation in the obstetrics department.

On Aug. 18, 1954, she married Denis Vrbka and moved to the family farm near Brainard. In September 1954, she began working at the David City Hospital as staff nurse.

In September 1955, the first of the couple’s three children was born so JoEllen cut back from working full-time to part-time and continued in that capacity for about the next 10 years, until the mid-1960s. At that time, she returned as a full-time staff nurse. She later served as director of nurses for about 10 years.

In 1979, JoEllen was named administrator of the Butler County Hospital, only the second administrator of the hospital. During her tenure, JoEllen oversaw growth in nearly all departments throughout the hospital as well as the addition of several new areas such as Social Services, Home Health, Wellness Center, Rural Health Clinics, Volunteers, Future Generations Health Care Foundation, public relations, ambulance and respiratory therapy. She also helped with long range planning for the hospital by serving on its board of directors, made sure that hospital policies and procedures were carried out, worked with the budget and represented the hospital at community events, in addition to a variety of other tasks.

As hospital administrator, JoEllen was in charge during a major construction project in 1990 that saw the addition of the Butler County Clinic at the north end and a Wellness Center at the south end. It was at that time that the name Butler County Health Care Center was given to the entire complex.

Even at the time of her retirement, JoEllen was overseeing another remodeling project that was to include construction on a new front addition to the hospital. It seemed the projects never ended, yet the ongoing work—both in physical construction and technology—helped make the Butler County Health Care Center a star among smaller hospitals.
In 2013, JoEllen was honored at a program at St. Joseph’s Villa, where she was residing. “JoEllen is an example of community pride, strength and innovation,” those attending the program were told. “During her years at the Butler County hospital as director of nursing and administrator, JoEllen looked to the future and brought new technology and skills to David City that have benefited all of us.” John Klostermann, a member of the Butler County Health Care Center board, summed it up: “JoEllen moved us into the future.”

JoEllen timed her retirement in 1995 to coincide with her husband’s. Denis left full-time farming in the spring of that year and JoEllen followed suit after devoting more than 40 years to health care in Butler County.

In retirement, the couple traveled including elder hostels in the United States and Canada. They toured the Czech Republic, where they made lifelong friends. While they were on a trip to Ireland and England, the 9/11 attack on the United States occurred.

At home in retirement, the couple kept busy in various ways. They belonged to Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Brainard and took part in many parish activities. JoEllen was a member of the church’s PCCW and UGLY quilter’s group. She loved to quilt on her own also and made quilts for her children and grandchildren. She cofounded Brainard Area Seniors in Sept. 2003, was a member of the Brainard Community Club, and she was very involved in writing grants for the Village and the Technology Center.

Her grandchildren were the love of her life and JoEllen taught her granddaughters to sew and make kolaches (she always had kolaches ready for her family when they visited). She and Denis also loved to travel with their grandkids, including a trip to Disney World.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Denis Vrbka of David City; a daughter: Colleen (Dennis) Lux of Omaha; two sons: Tom of Plattsmouth and Doug (Nancy) of Brainard; nine grandchildren: Rachel and John Vrbka; Andrew (Courtney) Lux, Claire and Charlie Lux; Joel (Cassie) Vrbka, Julie, Micaiah and Matthew Vrbka; one great grandson, Asher; three brothers: Dick (Nancy) Hakenkamp, Mark (Karen) Hakenkamp and Mike (Mary) Hakenkamp; sister-in-law, Genevieve Behne; brother-in-law, Don (Marta) Ogle; numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and great nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant granddaughter, Kristy Jo Lux; sister, Phyllis Ogle; and a brother-in-law, Ernest Behne.

Memorials are suggested to the Butler County Health Care Foundation or the Dr. Larry Rudolph Medical Recruitment Fund.