Walter Jakob Bernhard Hesz of Loveland, CO, formerly of Estes Park, died peacefully on October 21, 2022, after a long illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Emmy Hesz; his wife of 68 years, Marjorie Henshaw Hesz; son-in-law, David Wayne Gray; and grandson, Nathan Ronald Gray. He is survived by his sister; Marion Hesz Berges of Alameda, CA; and by his children Susan Gray McColl (Tony) of Loveland, CO; Nancy Hesz (Gary Dixon) of Yellow Springs, OH; John Hesz (Sidney) of Winters, CA; and Cathy Colten (Rob) of Holland, MI. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and one great great grandson, four nieces and a nephew.
Walt was born on June 28, 1927, in Munich, Germany. In 1929, his family moved to Amsterdam. Walt and his family fled Nazi-occupied Netherlands and immigrated to the USA in 1941, on a Portuguese ship, the Magellanes. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1946. The family lived in NYC, Toledo, OH, and Birmingham, MI, where Walt met his future wife, Marj. They married on January 29, 1949.
Walt served the US Army in Berlin following WWII. He studied at University of Toledo and graduated from Wayne State University in 1949. Walt was employed by Sears, Roebuck and Company, first in Salt Lake City, then in New Albany, IN and Louisville, KY, then finally in Chicago. He retired in 1984. In retirement, Walt and Marj moved from their Glen Ellyn, IL home to the St Louis, MO area, then to Estes Park, CO. Walt enjoyed woodworking, hiking, art museums, gardening, classical music, opera, and photography. He was the cofounder of the Estes Park AAII chapter and volunteered for the Estes Park Library.
The family plans to gather in 2023 to celebrate Walt’s life.
If you wish to honor him, contributions may be sent to the Estes Valley Friends of the Library Foundation, PO Box 1470, Estes Park, CO 80517 or The American Brain Foundation, 201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Or certainly a nonprofit of your choosing is appreciated.
