Loretta Ann Hentzen, 86, of Olathe, KS, passed away on Friday, August 8, 2025. A Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 AM, visitation from 10-11:00 AM, and the Funeral Mass will follow at 11:00 AM on Monday, August 18, at Cure of Ars, 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Unbound.org.
Loretta was born on October 23, 1938, in Kansas City, KS. She was one of seven children of Nicholas “Hots” and Julia Cornish and grew up in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood. She attended Holy Family Catholic School and graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1956. A testament to the kind of friend she was, she remained close with her high school girlfriends for nearly 70 years.
In her younger days, Loretta was an excellent golfer, landing three holes-in-one—one of which bounced off the cart path and a tree before finding the hole, but it still counted. When she could no longer golf, she loved watching tournaments on TV and could frequently be heard shouting “Philip” to cheer on her favorite, Phil Mickelson.
Playing cards was one of her great passions; she especially enjoyed gin rummy, bridge, and poker. She appreciated the thrill of a loose video poker machine and playing Family Feud. Whether watching it on television with her granddaughters or playing in person with her friends at Benton House, she always got the number one answer.
Loretta enjoyed a stiff drink and a great meal. She always joked that vodka was good for your heart and it was the reason she had lived so long. Loretta also enjoyed a well-made Old Fashioned and let you know if a meal was good by declaring it “divine.”
And boy did she define charisma! Everyone who met her loved her. It didn’t matter if she was at her dentist’s office or having lunch with friends, Loretta’s personality shined. Her friends always said the party truly began when Loretta entered a room.
But even more than her passion for fun was her passion for Christ. Her faith was deeply rooted. She prayed daily, putting her friends and family “in the chalice.” When she couldn’t attend Mass in person, she began watching it on TV every morning.
Loretta loved her family fiercely and was incredibly proud of her children, grandchildren, and her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. She and her sister, Rita, taught them how to make sarma and helped start “Mouton Madness,” a family tradition that celebrates their Croatian and Slovenian heritage along with laughing with (and at) each other. This legacy of love and laughter will live on for generations.
The family is extremely grateful for the compassionate care provided by the staff at Benton House of Olathe over the past several years. They not only helped care for her but created a joyful atmosphere where Loretta could truly be Loretta.
She is survived by her brothers James Cornish and Donald Cornish, brothers and sisters-in-law John and Phyllis Cornish and Larry and Jeanne Cornish, her daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and David Pumphrey, her daughter Christina Hentzen, granddaughters Audrey, Maya, Alice, and Aris, grandson Roman, and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends.
She was greeted in Heaven by her parents, Nicholas and Julia (Gergich) Cornish; her sister and brother-in-law, Rita and Gerald Bock; her brother, Fr. Ronald Cornish; her husband, James Hentzen; and her beloved and deeply missed son, Christopher.
Loretta died with Mass on the television and a Rosary in her hands. We put you in the chalice, Loretta. God bless, and we hope Heaven is DIVINE.