Ruth Alice Hess

She was born on December 4, 1932, to Karl and Edborg (Nilson) Holmberg in Brookley, NY. In 1940, the family moved to Fair Lawn, NJ, where she learned to play the piano and organ. The family attended Our Savior Lutheran Church in Fair Lawn and Ruth became the organist there. After high school, Ruth graduated from Augustana College with a teaching degree. She married Carl A. Hess on December 25, 1954 and together they had four children: Robert, Susan, Carl and Karen.

Ruth had a love for church music and shared her talents as organist and choir director, not only in NJ, but also at Lutheran churches in Winter Haven, Florida, when they moved there in 1980. She was also a teacher at Our Savior Lutheran Nursery School, Fair Lawn, NJ, and taught Kindergarten at Hope Lutheran School in Plant City, FL and Grace Lutheran School in Winter Haven, FL.

Ruth is survived by her three children: Susan Norris, Carl Hess, and Karen Varner, seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren, her two sisters: Thelma Sellmann and Barbara Weidanz and many nieces and nephews. Those who preceded in death were her parents, her husband Carl and her son Robert.

A Celebration of Life and Ministry service has been set for Tuesday, December 5 at Grace Lutheran Church, 327 Ave. C SE, Winter Haven, FL, beginning at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens. The family will have a time for visitation starting at 10:00 AM until the service begins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Ruth Hess' name to Cute Syndrome Foundation, 1 Meadowbrook Ln., Troy, NY, 12180 or Trinity Tots Preschool, 25 Lakeview St., Lake Placid, FL.

Arrangements under the direction of Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Auburndale, FL.