Paul Francis Hess

Paul F. Hess, 73, of Poplar Bluff died Friday March 23 at John J; Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Paul was born August 10th 1938 in St. Joseph Missouri. As a young child he moved to Joplin where he attended St. Peters Grade School before moving to Kansas City to begin preparation for the seminary by attending St. John's High School. He attended Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis until 1961 when he entered the U.S. Army.

Paul attended the Presidio of Monterey to study German and was assigned to be a Military Intelligence Officer living in Berlin for the next four years. For his final year of service he volunteered for service in Vietnam before his discharge from the Military in 1967. He returned to Joplin where he completed his college degree graduating from Missouri Southern State College in 1968. He worked as an adjudication officer for the Division of Youth Services transferring to Poplar Bluff in 1976. In 1996 he retired from the Social Security Administration and turned to his real loves, hunting, fishing for trout, growing grapes and making wine. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, coordinator for the monthly VA bingo for all the area Councils of the Knights, a member of the Adoration Society, and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. He served two terms as Grand Knight for the local council and eight years as financial secretary.

Paul is survived by his wife, Carol, of the home; daughter Judy Ladewig and husband Bret, and grandson Davin of Poplar Bluff; a sister Pat Dashiell of Fredonia, New York, and three nieces and a nephew who reside in California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alice and Francis Hess.

A Prayer Service will begin at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel with visitation following with 4th Degree Honor Guard. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father David Coon officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery with Full Military Honors.

The family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Building Fund.