Richard Hesse

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NEW ULM - Richard Hesse, 91, of New Ulm, died Monday, July 14, 2008 at the Sleepy Eye Care Center in Sleepy Eye.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 19 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm with Pastor Richard Luedtke officiating. Burial will be in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery with full military honors being conducted by the New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4 - 8 p.m. Friday and 7:30 - 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm.

Richard Gustav Hesse, son of Gustav and Marie (Abraham) Hesse was born Feb. 10, 1917 in New Ulm. He attended New Ulm Schools and graduated from New Ulm High School in 1937. Richard served in the U.S. Army serving with the 5th Armored Division, 75th Medical Battalion from 1941 to 1945. He married Leona Kaping on June 17, 1941 at the Holy Trinity Parish House in New Ulm. In June they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. They had five children.

Richard worked for Fesenmaier Implement and then for Brown County Implement until he retired in 1981. He was a Cub Scout leader, and managed the Johnson Park Baseball concession stand for many years.

Richard is survived by his wife Leona of New Ulm; daughters and sons-in-law, Marilyn Hesse of New Ulm, Janice(Tom) McClure of Chaska, Kay (David) Rath of Stormville, New York; a son, Richard J.(Diane) Hesse of Appleton, Wis.; a son-in-law, Michael Treml (Rita) of New Ulm; 10 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Delores(Harold) Kaping of Vadnais Heights, Marie (Elmer) Kaping of Hutchinson; brother-in-law, Henry (Marilyn) Kaping of Nevis; and by many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Patricia Treml; grandson, Michael Treml; brothers and sisters-in-law, Walter and Verona (Kaping) Hesse, Harvey and Lorraine (Bakken) Hesse, Carl Hesse and Heinrich in infancy; a sister Alma Hesse; sisters-in-law, Lorraine (Kaping) Vorlicky, Elvira (Kaping) (Schnurrer) Clark; brothers-in-law, Elmer and Harold Kaping.

Richard was a member of the Brown County Historical Society, the Junior Pioneers, the American Legion Post 132 and the Disabled American Veterans. He enjoyed fishing and camping when his family was young, playing cards with family and friends and visiting his Army buddies at their reunions in Texas. He always had a large garden that overflowed with vegetables and was willing to share his raspberry plants. Richard had been a resident of the Sleepy Care Center since March of 2007