Dorothy Ann Hess

Dorothy was born on December 20, 1937, in Las Palomas, New Mexico, to Clay Lyman and Alice Rosetta (Gililland) Smith. Dorothy grew up on Sweetwater Ranch in the San Andres Mountains of New Mexico. Her pride in her upbringing was never more evident than having her own registered brand of Seven Lazy T. During World War II, her family moved to Alamogordo, N. Mex., where she attended high school, graduating in 1956.

She met the love of her life, Paul, at a dance hosted for servicemen stationed on Holloman Air Force Base, and on August 4th, 1956, Paul and Dorothy were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Alamogordo. They began an adventure that lasted 55 years. Together, they made a wonderful home for their family in rural La Crosse County, Wis.

Dorothy was employed by Land-O-Lakes in La Crosse, and later by Anderson Moving and Storage, where she was the office manager, dispatcher and all-around mother figure until her retirement in 2000. She made life-long friends with her extended family of co-workers, all of whom enjoyed the family atmosphere of many a backyard barbeque at her home.

Dorothy loved gardening, from the growing of fruits and vegetables to flowers and shrubs. She enjoyed reaping the fruits of her labors and every canning season she could be found teaching someone the fine art of preserving fruits and vegetables.

She tackled the business of being a honey producer with Paul with great enthusiasm. They traveled often to many honey producing conventions and seminars in the pursuit of their way of life together. She believed in the power of natural elements and the healing effect that it could have, especially in the abilities of honey and other bee products.

Nothing ever held Dorothy back. She loved adventure and eagerly shared her love for life, which took her and Paul far and wide, on many cruises and vacations all over the world, often times with her family and friends. The friendships were not merely relationships with other people who shared the same interests, but also extended to creating life-long family bonds, and all of her children have been fostered into friendships with the families of her friends.

She was skilled at many arts and crafts which she engaged her children and grandchildren into at an early age. She was a fine worker of leather, upholsterer and seamstress, but it was at quilting that she really excelled. She made quilts for all of her children and grandchildren as they graduated from high school. Some of her quilts won prizes and state-wide recognition through the La Crosse Area Home and Community Education.

Dorothys faith was her foundation and she lived that faith every day. As a member of St. Joseph Ridge Catholic Parish, she volunteered much of her time to many committees and special events that took place within the parish. She and Paul were well known to the children of the parish as prayer warriors.

Her pride and joy was her family, and she instilled in them her faith in God. She was always so proud of all of her children and grandchildren, especially of their educational achievements. She was genuinely thrilled and felt blessed by God to be presented with great-grandchildren and she showered them with her love. She was especially excited to know that she is to add one more great-grandchild to her family in the near future.

Dorothy is survived by her husband, Paul; children, Annette (Michael) Langen, Lois (Patrick) Connolly, Linda (Todd) Jones, Carol (Thomas) Saxton, Gary (Mary Jo) Hess, and Arlene Hodenfield; seventeen grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister, Viola (Michael) Hobbs, many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clay and Alice; a brother, Richard Smith; sister-in-law, Eva Smith; a sister, Lucy Sauerman; and a brother-in-law, Paul Sauerman.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 22thndth, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Josephs Catholic Church, St. Joseph Ridge. Rev. Joseph Nakwah will serve as celebrant and Msgr. Robert Hundt will concelebrate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Ave. So., La Crosse, on Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., which will be followed by a rosary at 7:00 p.m., and at the church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dorothys name are preferred.