Ruth Rogers Hess

Ruth Rogers Hess (nee Mary Ruth Rogers), 85, died Thursday, December 30, 2004, in a local hospital. Mrs. Hess was born July 2, 1919 to the late Alvin Raymond and Mary Ruth Rogers in Dooling, GA and was preceded in death by her husband, Russell O. Hess, a son, Russell O. Hess, III and by a great-granddaughter, Gwendolyn. She graduated from Dania High School in Dania, FL, where she was Valedictorian of the Class of 1936, and attained a BA degree from the Florida College for Women, where she was the Valedictorian of the Class of 1940. During high school in FL, Mrs. Hess was the State Spelling Champion, the State Typing Champion and the State Stenography Champion. During college, she earned varsity letters in volleyball and softball. In 1971, she earned an MS degree in financial management from the George Washington University, in Washington, DC. After college graduation, Mrs. Hess was selected for a government internship under the National Institute of Public Affairs, where she met and married Russell Otterbein Hess, also an NIPA intern, in 1943. Most of Ruth’s career was spent with the federal government in the Department of the Navy, where she worked the majority of her 22 years of federal employment in the Pentagon Building. She ended the last years of her federal career as the GS-16 Chief, Division of Budget, where she was responsible for processing multiple billions of dollars of ship acquisitions. As the mother of three sons, Ruth spent many hours helping with the Cub and Boy Scouts. She also taught 4th and 6th grades where she was the Safety Patrol sponsor. She served as an officer in the PTA programs for all three boys and assisted with band booster and athletic booster efforts. She was active many years in the First Baptist Church of Washington, DC where she served as a member of the Board of Deacons and in leadership roles on several committees. Later she was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Delray Beach, FL and has been joyfully involved for the last five years with the First Baptist Church of Asheville. Mrs. Hess served her community in various capacities for over 60 years as a member and officer of the Women’s League of Voters. She contributed her time generously to the AARP Tax Assistance Program in Florida. Survivors include two sons, Allen R. Hess and his wife, Glenda of Asheville and David W. Hess and his wife, Donna Ayerst of Great Falls, VA; daughter-in-law Lori Hess, widow of deceased son, Russell, of Madison, WI; grandchildren, Kathryn Hess Bellwald, Cynthia, Benjamin, Alexander, Garth and Olivia Hess, Jacob Harlow, Shannon McDevitt, Diana Mitchell, Cassie Muhammad, Shian Ponder, Stirling and Byron Elmendorf; eleven great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Jimmy Gregory of Tallahassee, FL; a sister-in-law, Margaret Hess of Taos, NM and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, January 5 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Asheville, with the Rev. Dr. Guy Sayles officiating and the Rev. Morgan Gardner of Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community assisting. Interment will follow at Green Hills Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 7:00-8:30 PM at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road. They will also receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Asheville, Capital Budget/Building Fund, 5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC 28801. An online memorial register may be signed by going to “Obituaries” at www.grocefuneralhome.com.