Helen Lucille Hess

HELEN LUCILLE HESS Helen Lucille (Lynch) Hess was born to James. Arthur and Georgia Leona Lynch on May 10, 1924, at the family home in Dewey, Ok. She passed from this life at home on July 16, 2014, at the age of 90. Helen attended first grade in Dewey. She attended grades two through six in a one room school in southeast Missouri which also served as the community’s church. Five years later, having survived the Great Depression, watching the family home burn to the ground, being chased by a Blue Racer (snake) and breaking her collar bone during recess, Helen and the entire Lynch Family moved back to Dewey where Helen would remain for most of her life. In fact, for Helen, there was no place she would rather be than with friends and family in Dewey. Except for immediately following her marriage and immediately after the end of World War II, Helen spent the remainder of her life in Dewey. Helen graduated from Dewey High School and then took a job at the C. R. Anthony store in Bartlesville. While taking inventory one night, she and several other employees went to a nearby drug store for a sandwich. It was there she was introduced to a young man from Sedan, KS, who was passing through Bartlesville on his way back home. Once he and his friend were home, they were to be inducted in the U. S. Navy and this nation’s war effort. Helen and Richard Marion Hess were engaged by December, 1943, and they married on June 24th, of the following year (1944). Richard served on the USS Cavalier, an attack transport ship which took part in five landings in the Pacific including Saipan, Tinian, Leyte, Luzon, and Subic Bay. Helen joined the war effort working in quality control for a helicopter parts manufacturing company. She often spoke of being a new bride and not knowing for weeks at a time where her husband was or if he was even alive. Following World War II, Helen and Richard lived in Borger, TX, where Helen worked for a local bank and Richard worked at the Phillips refinery. As soon as they were able, they moved back to Dewey where Helen worked for the First National Bank of Dewey and later for Phillips Petroleum Company. Richard worked for Phillips until retirement. Helen and Richard maintained their home in Dewey for more than 70 years and raised three children there. Helen enjoyed shopping and pottery work including painting. She also rolled a more than decent left-handed turquoise and white bowling ball, caught more than her share of fish, and when she was younger, Helen could wade a shallow creek or river with the best of them. Helen enjoyed being out but was equally comfortable at home where visitors were likely to hear, “Come in this house.” Above all, Helen enjoyed and loved her family…especially the little ones. She and Richard were married nearly 70 years and through that union had three children, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Children include Richard Lee Hess and wife Mary of Edmond; Marla Ann Stroud and husband Garry of Arma, KS; and Rhonda Gail Songer and husband Steve of Ramona. Granchildren include Melissa D. Houser and husband Tod of Tulsa; Derek Walker and wife Robbie of Lufkin, Tx, Rachel Hess O’Brien and husband Blake of Richmond, VA; Abigail Frances (Hess) Shaw and husband Clint of Tulsa; Matthew Songer and wife Amber of Bartlesville; and Madison Brooke Songer of Ramona. Great grandchildren include Kaleb D. Houser of Tulsa; Abigail F., Emma G., and Aiden D. Walker of Lufkin, TX; and Norah Louise O’Brien of Richmond, VA. Services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, July 22, 2014, in the Chapel at the Stumpff Funeral Home, 1600 S.E. Washington Blvd., Bartlesville, OK. PDF Printable Version

Helen Lucille Hess

May 10, 1924 - July 16, 2014