Joan Clara (Schumacher, Belter) Lepchenske, 79, of Saint Charles, Missouri died Tuesday, March 21st at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri.

Joan was born November 4, 1943 in Highland to Sylvester and Rose (Horstmann) Schumacher; they preceded her in death.

She married George (Ske) Lepchenske on September 5th, 1998 at Eliot Chapel; he preceded her in death on February 5, 2016.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by a brother, Donald Schumacher.

Joan loved learning, earning a BS in mathematics at Notre Dame College (1965) plus both an MS in mathematics (1972) and an MBA (1976) at SIUE.  She was a former SSND (S. Mary Joy), mathematics teacher (teaching her mother (GED) and several siblings and cousins (HS)), corporate payroll specialist, and advocate for women in abusive relationships. Joan loved traveling (through many European countries and much of the US) and spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Surviving are her children, Karl (Ann) Belter of Chillicothe, IL and Jill (Tim) Bass of St. Charles, MO; 6 grandchildren: Melody, Neil, and Paul Belter and Allison, Jacob, and Kat Bass; siblings: S. Marie Celine (Bernice) Schumacher SSND, Mary (Ken) Bolhofner, Sue Betts, Ken (Myra) Schumacher, Nancy (Pete) Koenig, Sharon (Amos) Watkins; sister in law Janet (Schumacher) Hackle; numerous nieces and nephews.

Joan donated her brain to the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center. 

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

St. Mary’s Parish

325 S Jefferson St.

Trenton, Illinois 62293

In memory of Joan, we will be telling stories, playing cards, and eating a light lunch.

Memorials can be made in Joan’s name to:

ALIVE alivestl.org/

Notre Dame High School St. Louis, Missouri www.ndhs.net/

Knight ADRC knightadrc.wustl.edu/ 

Letters and Memorial Donations can be sent to:

Jill Bass

1890 1st Capitol Drive

P.O. Box 1876

Saint Charles, Missouri 63302