Obituary
Guest Book
1934
2013
Richard Lee "Dick" Hess, 79, of Terre Haute, went to be with the Lord in the early morning of Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Regional Hospital. He was born on April 4, 1934, in Paris, IL to Oscar and Leora Mae (Welch) Hess. In August of 1956, he married the love of his life, Norma Hughes, and together they raised three daughters.
Dick proudly served in the United States Army as a Rifle Marksman during the Korean War. He started working for Turner Coaches as a driver in 1957 and retired in 2007 with a million miles accident free. He had 50 years of perfect service and attendance. Dick also worked for the City of Terre Haute as a firefighter from 1970 until June 1992. He loved traveling on vacation with family, watching the Fighting Illini, going to Nascar races and was an avid gardener. Most of all, Richard enjoyed the time he spent with family and friends.
Dick is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Norma Lafern Hess; their three daughters, Cheryl E. Quigley and her husband John, Debbie L. Zwerner, and Tracey L. Rader and her husband Scott, all of Terre Haute; grandchildren, Nichole Flak and her husband Robert, Gregory Eversole, and Lauren Rader, all of Terre Haute; great-grandchildren, Kendra Mychelle Bible and Ryker James Eversole; step great-grandson Dalton Flak, all of Terre Haute; sister-in-laws Dorothy Hess of Donna, TX and Bea Hess of Paducah, KY; and close friends, Hank Carpenter and his late wife Helen, Leona Linnabary and her late husband Myron, Charlie Orndorff and his late wife Gay, Buzz Carpenter, Barb Anderson, and Phil Monroe and many other dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, step-father Marvin Dawson, brothers Russell Hess and Charles Hess, and sister Jean Seeley.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 11 from 4 until 8 p.m. at Mattox-Wood Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 12 at the funeral home with Pastor Rick Swan officiating and military rites performed by American Legion Post 104. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Richard Lee Hess Memorial Fund at Old National Bank. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mattoxwood.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
5 Entries
April 15, 2013
Tracey Rader
My heart is broken without you here. It still has not set in that you have gone. I hear the birds chirping in the morning and think of you whistling back like you used to do. I would give anything to hear your voice just one more time. God is lucky to have gained another angel. I love and miss you everyday Dad. Love, Tracey
April 15, 2013
Cheryl Quigley
I miss my Dad, life will never be the same without him! You will Forever be in our hearts. I Love & Miss you Dad.. Love your daughter Sherry
April 12, 2013
Mary Smith
The DePauw women's basketball program was very saddened to learn of the passing of its cherished bus driver and friend, Dick Hess. We extend our condolences to his family members and friends.
Dick drove the team to Oshkosh, WI, and our first-ever NCAA tournament game in March 1996. When we got back on the bus after a 32-point defeat at the hands of the #1-ranked team in the nation, waiting for us was a congratulatory cake from Dick. He always knew how to celebrate the team's successes, as evidenced by the hand-made “NCAA” sign he would put in the front window for those on the outside to see, the store-purchased, personalized-by-Dick basketball decorations on the windows and in the aisle, and his general, every-trip support. When one of the DePauw players died in a house fire in 2002, he was in tune to the team's grief and having known her himself probably felt it too as he added “4HASIE” and “Amy” to the decorations.
A fixture on trips during our Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference days, Dick knew Memphis, TN, Jackson, MS, and our other stops inside and out. If there was ever a location he was unfamiliar with, he made sure he was in the know before we headed in that direction. He took a great deal of pride in every aspect of his trade, never leaving us disappointed or wanting for more.
One year at the conference tournament in Memphis, when DePauw swept it, Dick went out to the Turner bus, gathered up his broom and proceeded to “sweep” the floor at Rhodes College. With broom in hand, he proudly got his picture taken with the tournament champion DePauw women's basketball team.
How could one talk about the basketball games without thanking Dick for his help with the game officials? He was always sure to locate a seat in the middle of things, with his “That was TURR-i-bull!” officiating assessments raining down from the stands.
There was a time when the women's team hosted a home NCAA tournament game, and we were happy to see that Dick had traveled over from Terre Haute to attend. I recall how proud he was to introduce his wife to the coaching staff afterward. And so, at this time, we again think of his wife, and Dick's many friends and loved ones, as we, too, feel your grief.
On behalf of Kris Huffman, our head coach, and the many players and staff members who Dick touched during his Turner days ... Rest in peace, our good driver and friend. For all of your goodness, you will never be forgotten by the DePauw women's basketball program.
Mary Smith, Assistant Coach, DePauw Women's Basketball
April 11, 2013
My condolences to Norma Hess and family,
I thoroughly enjoyed Dick driving our teams to all our away football games during my 23 years (1981 to 2003) as Head Football Coach at DePauw University! Dick did an outstanding job for us and I really enjoyed our conversations! He was truly a pleasure to be around and I always requested to have him be our driver on all our away trips. Dick Hess was our good luck charm because we usually won when he was our driver! He made our trips enjoyable and fun! I have nothing but fond memories of him!
May his memory be eternal! God Bless All of you!
Retired Head Football Coach, Nick Mourouzis, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana.
April 10, 2013
Charles and Jennie Helton
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