Mary Lou Hessler

Mary Lou Hessler died peacefully on Thursday, February 15th, 2024 at the age of 89. The only child of Mary (Smith) and Johnson Fanning, she was born on December 9, 1934 in Bisbee, Arizona. She was married to Hans “Jack” Hessler, the love of her life, for 58 years. She survived Jack by five years.

She was a loving mother of daughters Anne Starr of Paris, France, and Stephanie of Concord, Massachusetts, and sons Chris (Lisa) of Boston, Massachusetts and David (Tatiana) of Montreux, Switzerland. She will be lovingly remembered by grandchildren Paul Schubert, Philip Hessler, Brolin Mawejje, Thomas Schubert, Jack Hessler, Jimmy Hessler (Isabela), Peter Starr (Alice), Nikki Hessler, Katja Hessler, Lisa Hessler and Alec Hessler.

When Mary Lou was two years old, her family moved to Miami, Arizona where her father was manager of the Miami Copper Mining Department Store. Mary Lou began playing and studying piano as a child. Her passion for music and her ability to play the piano, and later the organ, stayed throughout her life.

Mary Lou graduated valedictorian from Miami High School in 1952. She attended the University of Arizona at Tucson where she excelled at studies in Music and Latin American Studies. She also studied at the Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico.

Her desire to travel the world and her command of Spanish qualified her to be hired by Pan American Airlines as a flight attendant where she worked in the Latin American and Far East Divisions for five years.

She and Jack met in Manila, Philippines, where Jack was on assignment with Cargill, Inc. They married in San Francisco, California in 1960. Their daughters, Anne and Stephanie, were born there. Their sons, Chris and David, were born in Lima, Peru, during a subsequent assignment.

Mary Lou’s contribution to Jack’s career in international business was significant. Behind the scenes, she unconditionally supported Jack and their children during Jack’s assignments in Peru, USA, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Pakistan. In addition to Spanish, she learned German and French, and studied Dutch, Russian and Urdu. With curiosity, courage, grace and elegance, she led her children in adapting to new cultures and immersed her family in new communities.

Wherever they lived, Mary Lou played the piano and organ at their Lutheran Church services or for organisations and events. She accompanied local choirs and gave piano lessons to children of many nationalities.

In 1989, Mary Lou and Jack moved to their farm in Branchton, Ontario. Here, Mary Lou pursued her passions for music, cooking, friends and family. She and Jack continued to travel the world, including often visiting their children and grandchildren in the USA and Europe. Jack and Mary Lou sold their farm in 2013 to retire at the Granite Landing Residence in Cambridge, Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Innisfree House in Kitchener, Ontario. A private celebration will take place at a later date.