James Alvin Hess
James Alvin Hess of rural Protection, Kansas died Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the Kansas Soldiers' Home at Fort Dodge, Kansas where he had lived for the past several months. He was 69 years old.
The son of Alvin Clair and Lucille Mary Jeck Hess, Jim, as he was known to his family and friends, was born in Emporia, Kansas on April 9, 1945. He grew up in rural Madison, Kansas and attended school at Madison until mid-term of his junior year when he transferred to Hamilton, Kansas where he graduated in 1963.
Jim was drafted into the United States Army in September, 1965 and received his training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. As a truck driver he was stationed in Okinawa and in Thailand where he hauled bombs from ammunition ships to storage depots. He completed his active service in July, 1967 and received his honorable discharge in September, 1971.
Other than the few months he drove a cattle truck for J.D. Miller of Emporia, Jim spent his work-life in heavy construction. He worked for the Sherwood Construction Company taking up the abandoned railroad track from Madison to Virgil; did a stint with the Greenwood County Road and Bridge Department where he learned to operate heavy equipment; and worked on a number of watershed dams in Greenwood and Marion counties including Madison Lake. He also did road construction around the state of Kansas with part of that time being in the employment of Shears Construction Company of Hutchinson, Kansas. Jim was also involved in some oil field construction in various places in western Kansas.
In 1986, Jim bought his own heavy equipment and engaged in soil conservation construction and working for a large feedlot until he sold that portion of the business to his brother Jerry in 1998. With his scraper and motor grader he continued to do terrace work for several years.
Jim was united in marriage to Jody Weible on December 19, 1979. They moved to Protection in 1981 and bought a bar and restaurant in 1984. Jody operated this business for about ten years. She died June 6, 2008.
Jim faced his most difficult hurdle in 1994 when he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. Surgery and radiation treatments would save his life but force him to little more than a liquid diet for several months. With his usual determination he won that battle, but his health was compromised from that point forward.
In addition to his wife, Jim was preceded in death by his father, his brother Donald Hess, and a nephew Chad Hess. He is survived by his mother, Lucille Hess, of Emporia, Kansas; his brothers, David Hess and Lynn Hess, both of Madison, and Jerry Hess, of Protection; and his sister Cindy Robison of Emporia, Kansas. Other survivors include sixteen nieces and nephews (Kim Hess Kiefer, Brett Hess, Matt Hess, Brian Hess, Eric Hess, Stephanie Hess Calderwood, Jennifer Hess, Amy Albert McClelland, Jason Albert, Megan Albert Broyles, Cassie Hess, Chas Hess, Corbin Hess, Clinton Hess, Andrew Hess and Sarah Hess), 23 great-nieces and nephews, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Protection with Pastor Bob Robison officiating. Interment followed at the Protection Cemetery. (Plans for a memorial service for Mr. Hess in Madison, Kansas are pending.)


Memorial contributions can be made in his name to the Kansas Soldiers' Home at Ft. Dodge, the Comanche County 4-H or the American Cancer Society, and sent in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, Kansas, 67029.