Gloria Ursula Johnson Hess was born October 21, 1924 in Louisville, KY to Magdalynn (Moran) and Charles W. Johnson. She graduated from Presentation Academy and received a B.A. in Nutrition from Spalding College. She met her future husband, Dr. Paul Patrick Hess, on a blind date where they instantly clicked. They were married on September 9, 1944. The two built a vibrant life together in New Albany, Indiana, remaining devoted partners for nearly seventy years. Together they raised five children. Gloria was a creative and resourceful support while her husband established the first pediatric practice in Floyd County.
Gloria was an accomplished yoga practitioner and taught classes for over 40 years on the second floor of Pat’s office. She also did volunteer teaching to children at the Bingham Clinic at Norton’s Hospital. Gloria was an active parishioner at St. Mary’s Church in New Albany. There she served on the social justice and liturgy committees. Always concerned with caring for those in need, Gloria volunteered as a phone counselor and was a co-founder of St. Mary’s Soup kitchen.
Throughout her life, Gloria had a variety of pursuits and passions. She loved domestic and international cuisines and was an outstanding cook and baker. She occasionally taught French cooking in Louisville. Often admired as a skilled hostess, she excelled in throwing dinners and parties, including annual New Year’s Eve parties and mother-daughter teas. At Halloween she would buy 12 dozen doughnuts at Williams or Rookies bakeries, make a cauldron of hot chocolate and invite the neighborhood children in after a hard night of trick-or-treating. She was an accomplished seamstress for herself, her children, and her children’s dolls. Gloria was an elegant dresser with a great sense of color and style who often served as a model for local fashion events.
Gloria and Pat were enthusiastic travelers and explored India, China and Europe, particularly their favorite country of Spain. She lived a full and rich life, dedicated to both improving the lives of those around her and expanding her world.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Patrick Hess (d. 2013); sons, Robert Charles Hess (d. 1979) and Paul Patrick Hess Jr. (d. 2010). She is survived by her daughters, Penny Hess, Charlotte Hess, and Amy Hess; daughter-in-law, Lois Katz Hess; grandchildren, Michael Murphy, Kate Hess Pace, Mark Hess, Abby Hess Meyer, Sebastian Rudolph, Emerald Lindskog, Oliver Batcheller, and Onalee Batcheller; and two great grandchildren.
Visitation will be Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, from 4-7 PM at Kraft Funeral Service, 708 E. Spring St., New Albany. There will be a sharing of memories at the funeral home chapel at 6 PM. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, Jan. 4th, at 11 AM at St. Mary’s Church, New Albany, with burial to follow at Holy Trinity Cemetery, New Albany.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the loving and caring staff at Treyton Oaks for their wonderful care. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana at www.soinhomeless.org or African Peoples Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) at https://apedf.org
The family requests that masks are required for the visitation and funeral and full Covid vaccination requested.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be made be shared at www.kraftfuneralservice.net.
