Thomas Murray Hess, Sr., 94, of Crystal City died March 26, 2020, at his home. Born May 24, 1925, in Crystal City, he was the son of the late Anna Mae (Bond) and Francis J. “Frank” Hess.
Mr. Hess worked in real estate and was president of the Jefferson County Board of Realtors, He served in the U.S. Army’s 42nd Rainbow Division during World War II and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church and its choir for 75 years, Barbershop Harmony St. Louis Chapter 1, the Knights of Columbus Post 1230, Elks Lodge Post 1721, American Legion Post 253 and VFW Post 3777.
He is survived by his wife: Carol (Schmidt) Hess; a son: Thomas M. (Vickie) Hess Jr. of Murrells Inlet, S.C.; three daughters: Cynthia (Ron) Sutton of Hillsboro, Christina Hess of Barnhart and Barbara (Sam) Rush of Crystal City; 11 grandchildren: Shannon, Adam and Christopher Hess, Ryan, Matthew, Brianna and Sariah Sutton, Amy Bolin, Brandon Byers, Allison Lambert and Laura Aubuchon; a brother: Philip Hess of St. Louis; six stepchildren: Kevin R. (Toni) Cooke of De Soto, Terry (Gidget) Cooke of Wichita, Kan., Johnna Cooke of De Soto, Thomas Cooke of St. Louis, Jerrod Hebenstreit of Festus and Julie (Dan) Turner of Pevely; 11 step-grandchildren: Tara, Kelly, Dakota, Anthony, TJ and Lindsey Cooke, Samantha Grossbauer, Jessica and Nathan Hebenstreit, Heather Farmer and Daniel Turner; and numerous family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his first wife of 56 years: Betty L. (Hays) Hess; a son: Timothy G. Hess; a sister: Patricia Mae Green; three brothers: Robert Hess, F. “Joseph” Hess Jr., and Donald James Hess; and a sister-in-law: Margaret “Peg” Hess.
Memorial Mass and celebration of life will be at a later date. Private burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Crystal City. Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.