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Obituaries
Sister Katherine Ann Heinz, SL
March 14, 2026
A funeral Mass for Denver native Loretto Sister Katherine Ann Heinz SL, long-time elementary school teacher in the Archdiocese of Denver, and in El Paso, TX and St. Louis, MO, will be celebrated by Loretto Co-member the Rev. Marty Lally at 8 a.m. MDT Friday, March 20, in the Church of the Seven Dolors on the grounds of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, KY. Sister Katherine Ann died March 14 at Loretto Living Center on the Motherhouse campus. She was 97 and in the 79th year of her Loretto commitment.
The daughter of Lillian K. (Dewey) and Henry A. Heinz, she was born Aug. 4, 1928, in Denver, and baptized Erma Jean Heinz. She was received into the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross April 25, 1947. Sister Katherine Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in education, with minors in social studies and English, in 1959 from Loretto Heights College in Denver.
Sister Katherine Ann spent 36 years as a teacher, mostly in lower grades at schools in El Paso, Texas, St. Louis and Denver. In Denver, she served at St. John School (1965 – 1972), St. Philomena School (1972 – 1981), Good Shepherd School (1981-1982), and Holy Family School (1982 – 1985). The next 16 years Sister Katherine Ann worked at the Loretto Denver Staff Office, first as a computer clerk and then as data information coordinator. Retiring, she resided at the Denver Center until moving in 2008 to Loretto Motherhouse. There, she volunteered at Loretto Archives and served the Motherhouse Community until her death. Sister Katherine Ann had lived out the advice she offered in her 90s when celebrating her 75th jubilee: “You should have a very close connection with God and pray to God to ask, ‘What do you want me to do?’” She always sought to do God’s will.
Sister Katherine Ann outlived her immediate family and her Loretto novitiate classmates. A wake for Sister Katherine Ann will take place 4:30 p.m. MDT Thursday, March 19, at Loretto Motherhouse. Burial will take place at Our Lady of Sorrows Cemetery on the Motherhouse grounds.
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of Loretto for our mission, c/o Loretto Motherhouse, 430 Academy Lane, Nerinx, KY 40049 or as an online gift at www.lorettocommunity.org.
Father John J. “J.J.” Mueller, SJ
March 5, 2026
St. Louis – Father John J. “J.J.” Mueller, SJ, died March 5, 2026, in Florissant, Missouri. He was a lifelong theology professor and taught for nearly 30 years at Saint Louis University. He was 81 years old, a Jesuit for 62 years and a priest for 50 years.
Fr. John M. Hunthausen, SJ
October 12, 2025
Father John M. “Jack” Hunthausen, SJ, died Oct. 12, 2025, in Florissant, Missouri. A quintessential Jesuit, who put both his practical skills and spiritual wisdom at the service of the Church, he was 88 years old, a Jesuit for 66 years and a priest for 55 years.
His life will be remembered during a Memorial Mass on Saturday, October 25, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of St. Ignatius Hall, the Jesuit Community at Garden Villas North, in Florissant, Missouri. The Mass will be livestreamed at https://jesuits.family/fr-hunthausen.
Father Hunthausen donated his body to the Saint Louis University Medical School, so there will be no burial at this time.
John M. Hunthausen was born in St. Louis on Jan. 2, 1937, the only child of Arthur J. and Agnes Donohue Hunthausen, who preceded him in death. He is survived by cousins, friends and his brother Jesuits.
A graduate of both St. Louis University High School and Saint Louis University, he entered the Society of Jesus on Feb. 8, 1959, at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Missouri, and pronounced first vows on Feb. 11, 1961. He was ordained a priest on June 4, 1970, at the St. Louis Cathedral by his cousin Raymond Hunthausen, bishop of Helena and later archbishop of Seattle. He professed his final vows in the Society of Jesus on Dec. 8, 1975, at St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis.
Following seminary, Fr. Hunthausen returned to Saint Louis University, where he completed a master’s degree in accounting. He taught Latin and religion at Regis High School for a year, then taught accounting for two years at Regis College (now University) in Denver. He did his theology studies at Regis College in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he completed a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in sacred theology, as well as a Master of Divinity.
Following his ordination, he went to the University of Missouri, where he earned a doctorate in accounting. Upon completion of his doctorate, he returned to Regis to teach accounting and direct the MBA program that he helped to establish there. In 1980, he was named president of Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri, where he served for six years. He also served the Jesuit province as a consultor to the provincial from 1975 to 1984.
In 1986, he was missioned to Collegio Bellarmino in Rome. He served as treasurer and a host of other assignments for the next 16 years, including computerizing the treasurer’s office and updating public and private community spaces. While in Rome, he also ministered to several communities of the Missionaries of Charity.
He returned to the United States in 2002 for a brief sabbatical before taking up an assignment at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, first as an administrative assistant, then as director of spiritual formation. In 2012, he joined the Jesuit Hall Community at Saint Louis University as a pastoral minister and moved with the community to St. Ignatius Hall in 2023.
Father Hunthausen found the diversity of his assignments over his life invigorating and fulfilling. After completing his assignment as president at Rockhurst High School, he requested an entirely different ministry and ended up in Rome. “God is the God of surprises,” he remarked on his 50th jubilee as a priest. “When I entered the novitiate … I had no idea where this pilgrimage would lead me.”
He was exceptionally generous and prayerful, often found in the chapel. And he was grateful: He became a Jesuit in part to express his gratitude to God. “My life has been filled with so many blessings that it would be impossible to name them all,” he said. “I have received more blessings than I have been a channel of. Seeing God working in and through others has been an amazing gift.”
As we thank God for the gift of Fr. Hunthausen’s gracious generosity, let us remember him in our prayers.
Memorial gifts may be to made the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. They can be mailed to 4511 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Donate online at www.JesuitsCentralSouthern.org.
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