Randall Lynn Hess

Randall Lynn Hess, CW5, US Army (Retired), was born on October 2, 1948, in Waco, Texas to parents Bettye Coker Hess and Roy Hess. He departed this life on May 27, 2023, in New Braunfels, Texas, at age 74.

CW5 Hess served his country honorably for 30+ years in the US Army, 28 years of which were with the Defense Intelligence Agency/Defense Attaché System. He served in the Defense Attaché Office in U.S. Embassies in Warsaw, Poland; Bogotá, Colombia; Rangoon, Burma (now Yangoon, Myanmar); Hong Kong, BC (USDLO); and two consecutive tours in Vienna, Austria. He was inducted into the Defense Intelligence Agency/Defense Attaché System Hall of Fame on July 26, 2001. He retired from active duty on September 30, 2001.

Randall was preceded in death by his beloved son, Philip Hess; his parents; his parents-in-law Ann and Lawrence Christoph; his paternal grandparents George Hess and Nettie Fitz; his maternal grandparents, Eloyse and Alvin Coker, his brother, Rick Pierce; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Randall is survived by his wife, Linda Christoph Hess; his daughter and her husband, Christie Hess Johnson and Jeramy Johnson; his grandchildren, Corinne and Evan Johnson; his sister and her husband, Jana and Mike Simpson, and their children and grandchildren; his sisters-in-law and their families - Anne and Bill Atwood, Sharon Christoph, Sybil and Carl Efraimson; the Ida Christoph (deceased) family; his brother and his wife, Dale and Helen Pierce and their family; and his sister-in-law Joni Pierce (husband Rick deceased) and family, as well as extended relatives and many beloved friends across the globe.

Randall was a true patriot, dedicated to God, Country, family, and friends. A staunch fan of both the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns, he was used to disappointment on the football field but remained true to his teams through what he would affectionately call “the lean years.” He loved golf, poker, reading, word games, and Sudoku. Through his charming delivery of both jokes and puns, he made people laugh for over seven decades, although his audience didn’t always appreciate the punch lines as much as he did. To quote a family friend, he “cornered the market on dad jokes,” and as a result, the world was a more enjoyable place for all who knew him.

CW5 Randall Hess was widely respected and deeply admired; he was a truly remarkable man who will be profoundly missed by the expansive network of his family and friends around the world, and whose incredible legacy through his work and his love for others will endure for years to come.

Pallbearers are Jeramy Johnson, Bill Atwood, Carl Efraimson, Dwayne Atwood, Mike Simpson, Chey Simpson, and Layne Simpson. Honorary pallbearers are Evan Johnson, Billy Kavanaugh, and Harry Okabayashi.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to either the Paralyzed Veterans of America or the Wounded Warrior Project.