Willard "Bill" R. Hess

HESS, Mr. Willard Bill R. 01/14/1928 - 2/26/2015 Portage, MI Bill died Thursday evening February 26, 2015 at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, AR. Bill was born January 14, 1928 in Galien, Michigan. He was raised in Buchanan and was a long time Kalamazoo area resident. Bill served his country as a Marine, graduated from Kalamazoo College, and retired after 36 years as a chemist with The Upjohn Company. Upon his retirement, he and his wife of 61 years, Donna, began traveling to Plant City, FL for the winter. Bill was a high school football star and enjoyed many other sports including pool, shuffleboard, and table tennis where he was a nationally ranked player earning a silver medal in the Senior Olympics. Bill - a loving, kind-hearted father, grandfather and husband - was a renowned caramel corn and meatloaf maker and a Bid Euchre champion. He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Irene Hess; his brothers Jack Hess and Richard Hess and is survived by his wife Donna, children: Mark Hess of Atlanta, GA, Mary Hess-Quinones Ed of Kalamazoo, Nancy Roehl Chris of Bentonville, AR,; twelve grandchildren, Jessica Clarey Sean, Evan and Mandy Quinones, Zachary, Olivia, Sophia, Amelia and Sam Roehl, Brenner, Barrett, Benton, and Brooks Hess; in-laws, Mary Louise Hess, Charles and Naomi Barton and DeWane and Joyce Brenner; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Celebration of life service will be held 11:00 Friday morning, July 3, 2015 at Milwood United Methodist Church, 3919 Portage Street with Pastor Heather Molner, officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Milwood United Methodist Church or Kids Connection Inc., in Vicksburg, Attn: Bill Hess Memorial. Private inurnment will be held in Mountain Home Cemetery, Otsego.