Glenda Blanch Olivas

Glenda Blanch Olivas (nee Semmons) passed away at Menorah Medical Center after a brief stay on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the age of 71 years old. When she passed, she was surrounded by the 3 most important people in her life, her daughter and 2 best friends. 

 Glenda was born on November 25, 1952, in Columbia, Missouri to Helen (Tichacek) Semmons and James E. Semmons. She was married in 1981 to Frank Olivas and together they had 1 daughter, Kathleen “Katie” Ashley. Glenda graduated high school from David H. Hickman High School in 1971. She graduated from with an Associate of Arts degree in Travel Administration in 1973, as well became a Registered Nurse through Research School of Nursing in 1978. Throughout her career, she worked in a variety of nursing capacities, including Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Diabetic Educator, and Hospice/Home Health. After 22 years as a school nurse at St. Ann Catholic School, she retired in 2019. During that time, she loved being a nurse to hundreds of children and used every interaction with them as a teachable moment. In 2008, she was awarded Outstanding School Nurse of the Year by Children’s Mercy Hospital.  

As a child, she was a Campfire Girl, owned a quarter horse named Pooper, and competed in Boone County horse shows. During high school, she was one of the yearbook school photographers and a member of Sigma Gamma sorority. Her prized possession was her light blue Volkswagen Bug that she loved to cruise through King’s Restaurant. She loved to travel and as a result moved to Colby, KS to work as a travel agent in order to travel the world. However, nursing was her passion and subsequently returned to the Kansas City area to follow in her mother’s footsteps and pursue a career in nursing.  

She became a mother to her only child in 1985, which she enjoyed immensely. Years later, she was the host mother to 5 foreign exchange students from Europe (Alison, Mirjam, Elisabeth, Hester, and Tori), who she remained close with and even visited their home countries several times over the years. Once she had a family, she desired more flexibility to be home, so she became a regional Tupperware representative. Over the next 7 years, she worked her way up to become an Executive Manager, responsible for 40 sales consultants. She proudly ranked number 1 for 2 years in sales and ranked in the top 5 for the remaining years of her employment. 

 In 1959, she met her lifelong best friend of 66 years, Judy Bass while in Mrs. Heinburger’s 1st grade classroom at West Blvd. Elementary. Despite not living in the same area after high school, they remained best friends and soulmates. They saw each other at every opportunity, knew each other’s deepest secrets, and loved each other fiercely. At their 20th high school reunion, both reconnected with Jill (King) Baxter, and they were forever known as the “Golden Girls.” To summarize their friendship, the 3 of them were told numerous times to quiet down in public because they were having too much fun.  

During her retirement, she enjoyed running her small business “Sophie & Helen’s Attic,” named after her mom and Oma at Sentimental Journey antique store. However, becoming a GG (Grandma Glenda) to her 3 grandchildren was the single greatest joy of her life and she would boast about them to anyone willing to listen. For the last 3 months of her life, she spent every day possible helping to care for them and loved every minute of it. Sharing photos and stories of her grandkids brought her so much joy, as did spending time with her dog, Ruby who has been lovely adopted by her good friend, Tucker. 

 Glenda never met a stranger (some of whom became friends), had bright blue eyes, and contagious laugh. She could talk endlessly to her friends or strangers for hours. She maintained friendships with so many people she met throughout her life. She actively listened, was empathetic, and respectful to others. She loved gardening, her family, playing games, her pet dogs, reality TV shows, and was a diehard Kansas City Chief’s fan. Every week, everyone could look forward to a very enthusiastic play-by-play on social media of the Chief’s games. 

 Glenda is survived by her daughter, Katie (Aaron) Simmons of Olathe, KS; grandson, Jacob Simmons (3 years); identical twin granddaughters, Ashley & Morgan Simmons (3 months); sister, Charmian Zurovsky; nieces, Jenifer Spiegal, Sarah Galler, and Megan Klein; and cousins, Mary Jo Tichacek, Peggy Tichacek, Steven “Steve” Tichacek, Nancy Tichacek, and Beth Bilynskyj, great nieces and nephews, and dog, Ruby. She is preceded in death by her parents, Helen T. Semmons and James E. Semmons; brother, James “Skip” Semmons; Oma, Josephine Tichacek; uncles, George Tichacek and Ray Tichacek, and cousin, David Tichacek.  

She did not desire a funeral; however, a celebration of life has been scheduled on Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at St. Ann Catholic Church in the Parish Hall at 7231 Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kansas 66208. Parking will be on the north side of the building.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating blood to your local community blood center. During any future Chief’s games, think of her, and in her honor, yell, “TOUCHDOWN KANZZAASSS CITY!!!”