Elaine Hughson Kornbau

Elaine H. Kornbau, 88, passed away November 14, 2021 under the loving care of Adven tHealth South Overland Park. A memorial service will be held Monday, November 29, 2021 at 10:30 AM at McGilley & Hoge Johnson County Memorial Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS 66204.

Elaine was born May 28, 1933 in Canandaigua, New York into a large and loving family. She met the love of her live, John (Jack) Kornbau at Canadaigua High School. They were married for 64 years. Jack passed away in 2016. Jack joined the Air Force and together they began their 24 years of non-stop military travels and adventures. They traveled all over the World courtesy of the Air Force. They were stationed at Sampson AFB, New York, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Scott AFB, Illinois, Bitburg AFB, Germany, McGuire AFB, New Jersey, Hickam AFB, Oahu, Hawaii, McGuire AFB, New Jersey (2nd time) and they retired at their last assignment, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Jack was one of the youngest NCO’s to make CM/SGT.

At every base they made lifelong friends, visiting every city and country they could drive to and enriched the lives of their children by teaching them to embrace new cultures, enjoy and appreciate traveling, and learning new traditions. After Military retirement, Jack and Elaine moved to Overland Park, Kansas to begin his next career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the next 20 years.

Elaine was training to be a beautician but marriage and Jack’s Military career changed their future together. They had four children and Elaine was the family matriarch, homemaker, hostess and the heart and strength of her family. She was a wonderful cook, loved to celebrate holidays and birthdays and made everyone feel welcome, especially those, like her immediate family, that found themselves away from their families due to serving in the Military. Elaine loved and was devoted to her parents and saw them every chance she could, depending on where Jack was stationed. She loved her siblings, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her extended Military family and her beloved dogs, taffy, Buffy Caesar, Cleo and Lucy.

She was very active in the NCO Wives Club at all bases, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and her Christian faith. Elaine never missed sending a card for Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries, Get Well and Condolences to all she knew and loved. She loved to crotchet, loved music, loved to read and entertain. She kept an immaculate home and never left home without her hair, Makeup and nails done. She was unmatched at her ability to provide a comfortable life on a Military salary for a family of six. Elaine was brave, smart and very hard working.

After Jack started his second career, Elaine started her 2nd career and worked at Montgomery Wards, Macy’s and then retired after working 20 years as an Auditor at Advent Health Shawnee Mission. Since both had retired, they decided to start traveling again. They took several adventures to Alaska, the Caribbean, Hawaii and several European countries. They both loved to travel and were always ready for another adventure.

Elaine was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; her beloved son, John; her parents, Roy and Alice Hughson; her siblings, Laverne, Tex, Hazel, Leonard, Doug and Jean; and her beloved son-in-law, Robert (Bob) Mehan.

Survivors include her brother, Gary Hughson; daughters, Barbara E. Newman, Julia H. Cooke (Peter) and Michelle Mehan; grandsons, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, Peter, Michael, John Michael, Cameron, Scott, Dustin and Alex; granddaughter, Katie Mehan; and great-grandchildren, Jason, Andrew, Elias, Syndyl, Ariana and Emerson.