Russell O. Hess

Asheville ~ Russell O. Hess, 84, died Thursday, November 28, 2002 at his residence. Mr. Hess was born August 23, 1918 to the late Russell Otterbein and Elizabeth Hess in Harrisburg, PA. He was also preceded in death by a son, Russell O. Hess, III. He attended Girard College in Philadelphia and attained BA and MA degrees from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. After graduation from Bucknell, he was selected for a government internship under the National Institute of Public Affairs, where he met and married Mary Ruth Rogers from Florida, also an NIPA intern, in 1943. Most of Russell's career was spent with the federal government in the Departments of Agriculture, Navy, State and, for the last several of his 34 years of federal employment, with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare as a management analyst in the Office of the Secretary. As the father of three sons, Russell spent many hours over a period of 15 years in the three branches of the Boy Scouts of America -- Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts as Cubmaster, Scoutmaster and Explorer Advisor. He was active in the First Baptist Church of Washington, DC where he served as a deacon and a member of several committees and in the First Baptist Church of Delray Beach, FL. He had been associated for the past 2 1/2 years with the First Baptist Church of Asheville, NC. Mr. Hess served his community for nine years as a member of the Fairfax County Planning Commission, serving the last year as chairman. Survivors, in addition to his wife, include two sons, Allen R. Hess and his wife, Glenda of Asheville and David W. Hess and his wife, Donna of Mozambique in Africa; daughter-in-law, Lori Hess, widow of deceased son, Russell, III of Madison, WI; grandchildren, Kathryn Hess Bellwald of Switzerland, Cynthia, Benjamin, Diana, Alexander, Garth, Olivia and Cassie Hess, Jacob Harlow, Shannon McDevitt, Shian Ponder, Sterling and Byron Elmendorf; nine great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Jimmie Rogers Gregory of Tallahassee, FL and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, December 3 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church with Dr. Guy Sayles officiating and Rev. Morgan Gardner of Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community assisting. Interment will follow in Green Hills Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Roy Feringa, William Galbraith, Ed Injaychock, Tom Presley, Ivan Swope and Finley White. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 7:00 - 8:30 PM at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road. They will also receive friends Tuesday one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Memorials may be made to the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Council, 64 WT Weaver Blvd., Asheville, NC 28804.