Honorable Andrew Allen Krohn

Andrew Allen Krohn, 79 of Princeton, Missouri passed away due to complications from open heart surgery and kidney disease on December 15th, 2023, at NorthCare Hospice House at North Kansas City Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.

Andy was born to Frank and Margaret (Goodman) Krohn in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 7, 1944.   Andy was raised on the East side of Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from East High School.  Andy loved sports and was an All-City and starting quarterback on the football team and played in the first televised high school football game in Kansas City.  Andy also started on the basketball team, ran track and was an All-Star baseball player.  Andy furthered his education at the University of Missouri at Columbia for two years.  He transferred to the University of Missouri at Kansas City and he received a Bachelor’s Degree in History.  Andy began working at Mobil Oil in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he met and later married Darlene Mathews in 1968.  Their first daughter Jennifer was born in 1968.  Andy transferred to Kansas City with Mobil Oil.  In 1969, Andy was accepted into Law School at the University of Missouri at Kansas City where he attended night school while working for Mobil Oil in Kansas City.  Andy earned his Juris Doctorate Degree in Law in 1970 and son Matthew was born in 1971. Andy began practicing law in the Kansas City area.  However, since a young boy, Andy was drawn to Mercer County where he enjoyed spending time at his Aunt Vera and Uncle Jack Goodman’s farm northwest of Princeton.  After visiting with Uncle Jack over a beer at Calamity Jane Days, Andy decided to move the family to Princeton where he joined law school friend Ron Barker at his law practice in Princeton.  Andy became the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Mercer County and engaged in private practice.  Daughters Amy and Carrie were born in 1974 and ’76, and Andy and Darlene raised their four children close to Lake Paho until their divorce.

Andy served 17 years as Prosecuting Attorney for Mercer County and in the private practice of law.  Andy was appointed Associate Circuit Judge of Mercer County in 1992, and after serving for 9 years, he was elected Circuit Judge of the 3rd Judicial Circuit in 2000 and served as the Presiding Judge from 2000-06.  Andy started the 3rd Circuit Drug Program when he became Circuit Judge in 2000.  In 2005, the program received national recognition when Judge Krohn accepted the Sen. Harold Hughes Memorial Award from the National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse at a conference in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Judge Krohn was very proud of the Drug Court Program, now referred to as the 3rd Circuit Treatment Court Program.  In fact, Andy had a Drug Court graduate speak at his retirement reception when he retired as judge.  Andy was proud of the fact that when he was Circuit Judge, the 3rd Judicial Circuit received for the first time the Daniel J. O’Toole and Permanency Awards, “In Recognition of Excellence in Service by Providing Timely Justice to the Public having achieved Case Processing Time Standards Criteria.” These awards were presented personally by members of the Missouri Supreme Court.  The 3rd Circuit also received awards for the Juvenile Courts (Permanency Award) Andy presided over as Circuit Judge in the four counties comprising the 3rd Circuit – Mercer, Grundy, Harrison and Putnam Counties.  Following retirement as a judge, Andy joined his son Matthew at the Andereck Evans Law Firm in Trenton as “of counsel” status where he practiced law for five years until Matt was elected judge in 2014.  Andy continued working at the Firm working part-time until a couple of years ago.

In 1985, after a courtship, Andy married widow Connie (Deegan) Renfro.  So, Connie, Steven, Lesley and Seth joined the family where we truly became one family and remain so today.  Connie took up most of Andy’s hobbies of hunting, fishing and camping and she became quite good at all of them.  Connie retired from hunting after harvesting the largest buck ever shot by a family member on their farm.  When Andy travelled for training as a judge and Connie always accompanied him.  They enjoyed travelling together, especially when Andy’s best friend, Floyd Anderson, took them to places like Colorado, Cabo San Lucas or on a cruise on his big yacht up the East Coast.  Andy and Connie enjoyed doing everything together.  They often sang together while traveling in the car to their favorite tunes by artists like Roy Orbison or Neil Diamond, and they sounded quite good as a duet.  They shared a lot of laughs and good times.  Andy was proud of and loved his family, including his children and grandchildren.

Andy was involved in his community and is a past President of the Princeton Rotary Club.  He started the Youth Turkey Calling Contest which the Club has continued to hold each spring for area youth.  He also initiated the youth football program at Princeton.  Andy and Connie enjoyed attending their kid’s ballgames together where some years they attended over 100 games in a year.  Andy loved deer, turkey and quail hunting.  He enjoyed fishing, tying flies for fly fishing, reloading ammunition, reading, watching movies, watching the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and the Mizzou Tigers play.  Andy loved experiencing deer camp with his family and kids. He enjoyed teaching his grandkids about hunting and imparting his wisdom about life. Andy also loved his Catholic Faith and church, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Princeton where he and Connie attended together.

Andy is survived by his wife, Connie of the home; son Steven Renfro and wife Lila; daughter Jennifer Krohn-Siemer & her son Tyler; daughter Lesley Willson and husband Brad – children Elizabeth and Zach; son Matthew and his wife Kelly and their children Logan, Lauren & Landon; daughter Amy Krohn and her partner Karrie – sons Ayden and Eian; daughter Carrie Ebert (Krohn) & husband Chris & their children Connor, Carson, Corigan & Caden; and son Seth & his wife Melissa and their children Mary Jane, Deegan, Adeline & Juliana.

Andy was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers John and wife Marilyn Krohn; Frank Krohn; and Andy’s baby sister Jeanne Haynes and her husband James; and Andy’s Aunt Vera and Uncle Jack Goodman.

Memorial contributions may be made payable to the 3rd Third Circuit Treatment Court Program c/o the Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 316, Princeton, MO 64673; or the Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri for the new Russ Derry Sports Complex in Princeton, Missouri, c/o of the Roberson Funeral Home or to the Community Foundation directly at 1006 W. St. Maartens Dr., Suite B, St. Joseph, MO 64506.

Family visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at Roberson Funeral Home in Princeton with Holy Rosary prior at 5:45 p.m.  Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, December 21st, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1728 St. Joseph St., Trenton, MO 64683.  Graveside service to follow at the Pleasant Ridge Church Cemetery four miles northwest of Princeton on State Route P. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com .