Helen A. Hess, 88, of U.S. 12 East, Niles, died at 4 a.m. Sunday, July 19, 2009, at West Woods of Niles, following an extended illness.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 23, at Saint Mark Catholic Church, Niles, by the Rev. Thomas King, C.S.C., pastor.
Committal rites will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, where the recitation of the Rosary will take place at 7 p.m. by Brother Dennis Meyers, C.S.C.

She was born on Jan. 18, 1921, in South Bend, Ind., to Walter and Helen (Klymzak) Kujawa.

She attended the former Dibble School on Yankee Street and has lived in Niles all of her life. She was employed for many years at Silverbrook Manor, Niles.

She was a member of Saint Mark Catholic Church, Niles. She enjoyed playing cards and dice with family and in past years enjoyed dancing at Cobert Lake, Edwardsburg.

On May 14, 1938, at Saint Mark Catholic Church, Niles, she married Frank John Hess, with whom she celebrated the remarkable milestone of the 70th anniversary of their wedding.

She is survived by her husband, Frank; their children, Robert (Jackie) Hess, Daniel (Norma) Hess, Ronald (Sharon) Hess, John (Carol) Hess, Joseph Hess, Paul (Linda) Hess, Diane (Richard) Olsen and Theresa Young, all of Niles, Betty Gober of Edwardsburg and Helen (Terry) Helmick of Whiting, Ind.; 34 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren and her sister, Virginia Wolf of South Bend, Ind. and brothers, Harry Kujawa and Henry Kujawa, both of Niles.

She was preceded in death by an infant son, Edward Hess; five grandchildren; three sisters and three brothers.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice at Home.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.