In Memoriam: Russell E. Hess (1929-2010)

My Dad, Russell E. Hess, passed away today. This was one of his favorite pictures. Click here to watch a video from his 80th birthday party doing what he loved-- talking to everyone! Click here for on online photo gallery featuring Dad.

Russell E. Hess (1929 to 2010)

Russell Eugene Hess, 81, of Swatara Township, Harrisburg passed away at home on October 15, 2010.
Russell is survived by his wife of 58 years the former Phyllis Zell, his brother Carl, two sons David and Dale, their spouses Mary and Patsy, Kent Whiting his son-in-law, seven grandchildren Mark, Elizabeth, Matthew, Philip and Nathan Hess, and Nathan's spouse Rebekah, Ross, Ryan and Evan Whiting and two great grandchildren Ethan Burris and Nathaniel Hess. He was preceded in death by his daughter Jill B. Whiting last year.
He was born in Lancaster on January 30, 1929 and attended elementary and secondary schools in Lititz and Rothsville.
He lived for many years in Lancaster then moved the family to Harrisburg in 1966 where he and his wife raised their three children.
He held a variety of sales positions over the years selling household goods and ice cream door to door in Lancaster County, selling World Book encyclopedia for over 20 years and he ended his working career at Dupont Electronics.
He was devoted to his wife Phyllis and cared for her at home over the last two years as she struggled to cope with several illnesses, including a stroke and alzheimer's.
He was well known to scout troops, elementary schools and nursing homes in the area for building and donating over 3,000 birdhouses of his own unique designs as craft projects for young and old. He was particularly proud that over 70 percent of the wood he used was recycled, picked up here and there in his travels.
He did many other woodworking projects earning him the nickname "Dusty." His projects included replicas of the Star Barn in Harrisburg and the original Kissel Hill Elementary School he attended which he recently presented to the students of the modern Kissel Hill School in Lititz.
He delighted in making wooden novelty "funnies," as he called them-- "Washers and Dryers" (a small wooden clothes pin and a metal washer) and "Three-Piece Chicken Dinners" (3 kernels of corn in a wooden block). They never failed to bring a smile to everyone's face.
He was a prolific letter writer to his friends, children and especially his grandchildren who he constantly encouraged and supported as they grew, went away to school or work and in many cases traveled the world.
He leaves behind a detailed journal with many stories of family and events in his life growing up on a small farm in Lancaster County.
Memorial Service
The memorial service for Dad will be held on Wednesday, October 20 at the Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry St., Harrisburg. From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. there will be a visitation with the family. The memorial service will begin at 2:00 p.m.
After the service, the family invites all participants to the home of David & Mary Hess at 6110 Chatham Glenn Way for a light afternoon lunch.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, 3908 Corey Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109 or the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, PO Box 110 Kleinfeltersville, PA 17039 c/o the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

A Remembrance: The Gift

On behalf of the Hess and Whiting families, I want to thank you for being here to celebrate the life of my Dad as a father, friend, grandfather, husband and great grandfather.
About eight years ago I was given a gift, although I didn't recognize it was a gift until very recently. That gift was time. Time to get to really know my parents as their life circumstances began to change.
Dad talked often about his childhood and growing up, but the stories he told changed a little in the last few years. Just this year, he told me how his father kept beer in the milk cooler on their farm and how he would "borrow" one almost every day... when he was 12 or 13.
I guess he thought I was old enough for that one.
Dad could talk to anyone, anytime and anywhere. That's what made him such a great salesman.
He would delight in turning to strangers in the checkout line at Wal-Mart and ask them how they were doing in Pennsylvania Dutch-- "Ve Gates Gute Gates Gell?" (phonetically)-- just to see their reaction.
He made his Washers and Dryers and Three Piece Chicken Dinners as conversation starters. He just loved the smile that came to people's faces when they "got" what they were.
I didn't realize how creative and talented my Dad was until I saw him make all sorts of things-- multi-story bird houses, wooden pull toys, Star Barns and beach houses. Many times someone would just bring him a picture of what they wanted and he'd make it.
Did you know Dad tried his hand a painting pictures? He took a couple classes in watercolors just to try it out.
Dad regularly visited, wrote letters and called lots of people-- his cousins, neighbors and ex-neighbors and the friends he made selling World Book. Keeping in contact was very important to him.
But he didn't talk about his latest aches and pains like many folks his age, he talked about the latest adventures of his grandchildren, his most recent trip to Middle Creek to see the geese or the latest book he was reading.
He was relentlessly proud of his grandchildren.
He would tell total strangers about how they were doing in college, or would pass out copies of newspaper articles with their name and picture, or talk about where they were traveling, or how they were doing at work or how they were developing a business on the Internet, although he really didn't understand what that was.
He also believed in the power of positive thinking, which may sound trite, but to him it was gospel. One of the many journals he kept was filled with page after page of inspirational quotes.
Our kids sometimes showed me his letters. Most often they were just reports on his daily activities, but they always had words of encouragement and he wrote about how proud he was of them. They looked familiar, because I got those same letters when I was away at school.
In many ways it was easier for him to put his feelings on paper than it was to say them face to face.
What I also learned about him in the last few years was the love he had for Mom.
Taking care of her became his number one priority. He said she took care of him and especially the family all those years while he was on the road selling and now it was time for him to take care of her.
No matter how her stroke and Alzheimer's changed their relationship or daily habits, Dad was almost always up-beat and saying tomorrow would be better, even if that particular day wasn't going so well.
When he complained, he didn't complain about her, he complained about his own inability to understand or help her deal with the consequences of illness.
That gift of time allowed me to see a different side of Dad and Mom that I will value and remember always.
Again, thank you for coming to help us honor Dad's life.