Richard William “Dick” Hess was born on October 9, 1925 in Mishawaka, Indiana, the son of a U.S. Postal worker and a housekeeper. His father later became a lay preacher for the SDA Church and moved the family frequently. Dick never finished high school as he was drafted into the Army during WWII before he could finish, but later received his GED through the Army.

He served for two years in WWII in India as part of the medical corps in the China-Burma-India campaign.  He was discharged following the war but remained in the Army reserve and later returned to active duty as a Military Policeman during the Korean War.

Following the war, Dick spent five years as a deputy in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department in the California Bay Area. He then moved to Amador County in the foothills for a short stint at trying to run a ranch and growing walnuts. In the early 60s he became a journeyman forester managing forest resources in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He fell in love with the mountains and became one of the first Registered Professional Foresters in California, accomplished with just a GED and hard work, and spent the next 50+ years in that role before finally retiring in the 2000s.

While working as a forester for American Forest Products Dick met and married Jeanne Unser, an Occupational Health Nurse working for the same company. Together they raised a blended family of 5 sons and one daughter.

Dick was active in the Seventh-Day Adventist church and was instrumental in building the first SDA church in Amador County in 1964, as well as a newer church in a nearby location in 1994.  Dick always considered his greatest accomplishment to be the ability to learn and adapt to any new path that God chose for him, whether in the military, law enforcement, forestry or serving as an elder in his church.

Dick and Jeanne both moved from California to Texas to be closer to family in late 2022. Following his wishes, Dick’s ashes will be buried with military honors in a small cemetery in the foothills of California, a short distance from his former forestry office and next to his daughter who preceded him in death.

Dick is survived by his wife Jeanne of McKinney, Texas, and his sons Richard (Diana) Hess of McKinney, John (Shauna) Unser of Hailey, Idaho, Jerry (Karen) Unser of Queensland, Australia. He is also survived by his adopted sons Ted (Susan) Hess, and Fred (Leona) Hess, both of California. He leaves behind four grandchildren (Carrie, Mikelle, Loni, and Parker) and four great-grandchildren (Ava, Hazel, Evie and Skylar). He was preceded in death by his daughter Carolyn Hess.