Robert Mathew Hess

Mr. Robert "Bob" M. Hess, age 86, Watertown, formerly of Clark died early this morning, Saturday, November 12, 2005 in a Sioux Falls hospital. Services will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 11AM in the St. Michael's Catholic Church at Clark with Msgr. Steve Barnett and Father Bill Hamak concelebrating. Burial will follow in the St. Boniface Cemetery at Clark with Military honors by the Cagley-Smith American Legion Post of Clark. Music will be presented by Eileen Heilman as organist with Peter Nielson singing "How Great Thou Art" & "On Eagle's Wings" and Galen Bekaert singing and playing the guitar to "I Can Only Imagine" The congregation will sing "Be Not Afraid". Honorary casketbearers will be his family and friends. The active casketbearers are David Paulson, Dala Albright, John Huntington, Terry Flakus, Scott & Steve Schwarting and Jerry Hess. Visitation will be held from 6-8PM on Tuesday with a Liturgical Wake service beginning at 7PM all in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark. There will also be visitation at the Church after 9:30 AM on Wednesday morning prior to services. He was born at Clark, SD on February 2, 1919, the son of Mathew and Grace (Bickett) Hess. He attended school at Elrod, SD and then graduated from Clark High School in 1937. Bob entered the U.S. Army on April 26, 1941 and was honorably discharged on August 28, 1945. During those years he was stationed in various places including Louisiana, California, Australia and the Southern Philippines to mention some. He earned the ranked of Corporal and also was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for ground operations against the enemy on February 4, 1944, during the Guadalcanal Campaign. On June 14, 1948 he was united in marriage to Shirley Reedy at the Immaculate Conception Church at Watertown. Following their marriage, they lived in Clark where he began his employment with the United States Post Office. He also worked for Grace Nerger at Nerger's Store part-time. He continued his employment with the Postal Service retiring in 1978 as a rural mail carrier. The couple has lived in Clark until moving to Watertown a year ago. He was a former member of St. Michael's Catholic Church at Clark and a current member of the Immaculate Conception Church at Watertown. Bob had been a member of the Cagley-Smith American Legion Post of Clark for 61 years. Some of his favorite pastimes included golfing, hunting and 'collecting' ' most anything! He thoroughly enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins and 'keeping up' on the grandchildren. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife Shirley of Watertown, daughters, Sheryl Barnett and husband Frank of Sioux Falls, Colleen Paulson and husband Jim of Garden City and Shelly Jensen and husband Jim of Sioux Falls, 8 grandchildren, Amy Nielson and husband Peter, Angel Paulson, Molly Barnett, Mathew Paulson, Patrick Barnett, Amber, Eric and Brooke Jensen and a great-grandson, Maxwell Nielson. He also leaves a sister, Mary Austin of San Diego, CA and nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents, brother-in-law Francis Austin and a nephew in infancy. Memorials would be preferred to the Sioux Valley Hospice or the Volunteers of America, Dakotas at PO Box 89306, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9306. Email condolences to www.furnessfuneralhome.com