Vernon Lee Hess

Vernon Lee Hess, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, veteran, and lifelong adventurer, passed away at the age of 95 on August 31, 2026. He leaves behind a legacy of love, service, curiosity, and a life lived to the fullest.

Vern was born on February 4, 1931, in Ogden, Utah, to Leland and Elma Hess. He grew up with his sisters, Doris and Carol, in a family active in the Lutheran Church. His childhood was shaped by the Depression and war years, when families learned to make do with what they had.

After the war, Vern’s father purchased a chicken hatchery and farm, and Vern went to work. Before school each morning, he and his friend slaughtered, dressed, and delivered 150 to 200 chickens. At age 14, Vern began driving the family pickup, despite being too young to drive legally. Local police stopped him regularly, but because they knew him and his dad, all he got was a lecture.

During his junior year of high school, Vern asked Shirley to the ROTC Military Ball. He knew Shirley and her sister, Pat, through Luther League but initially wasn’t sure which sister was which. With help from his own sisters, he made the phone call. Shirley said yes.

The evening was a success, and Vern later described himself as “deeply though prematurely in LOVE.” The two soon became inseparable. Their early dates took place in the hatchery’s old green truck, decorated with two-foot-tall baby chicks painted on both doors. That “chicken truck” marked the beginning of a love story that lasted more than 75 years.

Military Service and Marriage

While in high school, Vern served in the active U.S. Navy Reserve. In December 1950, he joined the Air Force, partly because he anticipated being drafted and partly because he had decided that life at sea was not for him.

After giving Shirley a diamond engagement ring for Christmas, Vern trained at Lackland Air Force Base and served as an aircraft refueling technician at Reese Air Force Base in Texas.

When Vern’s uncle Axel died in a car accident, Vern returned home on leave. At a family dinner following the funeral, Axel’s widow, Aunt Dora, suggested that Vern and Shirley marry on August 25 instead of their planned New Year’s wedding, as it would have been her and Axel’s 33rd wedding anniversary.

Vern looked at Shirley and asked, “Do you want to?”

She said, “YES!”

This was the adventurous attitude with which they both approached life. With less than a week to prepare, they married on August 25, 1951.

Their lives together would repeatedly demonstrate that when opportunity arose or adventure called, they were willing to say yes.

Shirley joined Vern in Texas but soon returned to Utah to care for her seriously ill mother, who died of cancer. Just as Shirley was preparing to return, Vern called to say his unit was being sent to Japan.

Stationed at Brady Field in Japan, Vern supported the movement of supplies for the Korean conflict. A year later, he became seriously ill. Suspecting tuberculosis, doctors sent him back to the United States, where he was quarantined at the Naval hospital in San Diego.

Shirley located him through the Red Cross and drove two hours several times a week to visit him.

“My dear, faithful and patient wife never missed a visit,” Vern recalled.

He later underwent surgery to remove scar tissue from his left lung and was medically discharged from the Air Force.

Family and Career

Vern studied poultry husbandry at Utah State University while Shirley worked at the college poultry farm. Together, they raised their son, Scott, and daughter, Kris. Vern graduated in 1958 and credited Shirley with making his education possible, joking that she had earned her “PHT,” Putting Hubby Through.

The family became very involved with horses. Vern joined the Cache County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, which participated in parades and rodeos and assisted with mountain rescues, and helped establish a junior posse that eventually grew into a county-wide program of 100 youth.

In 1968, Vern took the Federal Service Entrance Examination but missed passing by a few points. A few days later, Shirley handed him a test booklet and pencil and told him she had signed him up to retake the test in 30 minutes.

Vern later said he was so mad at her interference that he went—and passed.

He was selected as a Quality Assurance Specialist in Ammunition Surveillance, or QASAS. He trained to inspect ammunition, missiles and rockets, chemical weapons, and nuclear weapons.

A Life Around the World

Vern began his QASAS career at Sierra Army Depot in California in 1970. After that, they relocated to Okinawa, Japan, where he and Shirley took up (of all things) square dancing.

After that, they moved to Savanna, Illinois, where Vern worked as an intern coordinator at the Ammunition Center and School. He traveled to nearly every state, interviewing applicants and recruiting many individuals who went on to become leaders in the field.

In 1979, Vern and Shirley moved to Livorno, Italy. Their household goods had barely arrived when Vern received orders to move to Vicenza, Italy.

After Italy, the couple moved to Mannheim, Germany. Their years in Europe were filled with exploration. They traveled widely, visiting ancient villages, museums, and historic cities. They developed a deep appreciation for Italian art and enjoyed many outdoor pursuits such as cross-country skiing, golfing, and Volksmarching.

Vern’s work took him throughout Italy, Turkey, and Greece. He explored the Acropolis, visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar, crossed the Bosporus, and stood where Europe and Asia meet.

During their years in Europe, they welcomed their two granddaughters: Kris’ daughter Amber and Scott’s daughter Andrea.

Following a short assignment in McAlester, Oklahoma, Vern was promoted to a position at the Pentagon. In 1985, he and Shirley moved to Washington, D.C. During the Gulf War, Vern worked in the War Room deep beneath the Pentagon, completing 12-hour shifts seven days a week.

Even with demanding careers, they continued exploring. One favorite tradition was placing their Thanksgiving turkey in the oven on low heat and spending the day visiting the National Mall and Smithsonian museums.

During these years, their son Scott became seriously ill and spent considerable time at the Mayo Clinic. Vern and Shirley were there for him every step of the way. Scott died in 1989.

Retirement and Later Years

Vern and Shirley retired from federal service in 1993. They often said they “went out holding hands.”

The couple returned to Utah, where retirement brought more adventure. They rode horses, snowmobiled, rode ATVs, followed Weber State basketball, and traveled throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Vern and Shirley later spent winters in Arizona, enjoying sand golf, ATV riding, and friends. They also volunteered for two summers at a fish hatchery near Garrison Dam in North Dakota, where Vern built nature-trail bridges and other structures.

Their family continued to grow, bringing great-grandchildren Robert, Scott, Carter, Kyle, Kyrie and Kitty, and, eventually, their first great-great-grandchild, Mason.

In July 2016, Vern and Shirley moved to Quail Lodge Independent Living Center in Antioch, California, to be closer to their daughter. There, Shirley was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She faced the illness with remarkable bravery and patience.

Vern personally cared for her for two years, determined not to place her in a nursing home.

“I said for better or worse,” he explained. “And I meant it.”

Shirley passed away on March 6, 2025. They had shared more than 75 years of marriage, love, and adventure.

After Shirley’s death, Vern continued moving forward. He met friends for meals, spent time with family, and went outside each day to sit in the sun and appreciate the fresh breeze and the simple gift of being alive.

A Lasting Legacy

Vern Hess lived a remarkable life. He served his country, built a distinguished federal career, traveled the world, embraced new experiences, and remained committed to being useful and engaged.

Yet his greatest legacy was the way he loved people. He welcomed others without regard to background, wealth, or status, and he believed in commitment: choosing the people you love and continuing to choose them, again and again.

He will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving family man, dedicated public servant, and extraordinary adventurer.

He is survived by his daughter, Kristin Hess Brown, and son-in-law, Robert Brown; his granddaughter, Amber Hess Strock, her husband, Barry, and their children, Robert, Kyle, and Kitty (great-grandchildren), Robert’s wife, Taryn, and their son, Mason (great-great-grandson); his daughter-in-law, Janice Mineer; and his granddaughter, Andrea Lee Hess Culletto, her husband, Tony, and their children, Scott, Carter, and Kyrie (great-grandchildren).