Lois W. Hess

Lois W. Hess (nee Wallach) of Baltimore, Maryland passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at the age of 97. She was predeceased by her loving husband and best friend of 76 years, Lewis M. (Dick) W. Hess, Jr., who died in July, 2024. She was also predeceased by her three children: Stuart M. Hess, Joan Hess Gordon, and Carol Ann Hess; and her sister, Ann W. Ries, and brother-in-law, E. Carey Ries. She is survived by her beloved grandson Scott Gordon and son-in-law Hunter Gordon (both of Birmingham, Alabama), several loving nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren. The nieces and nephews who reside in Baltimore and were very attentive to Lois and Dick are Thomas and Leslie Ries, James and Amy Ries, Sally and Kevin Abell, and John and Carol Hess.

Lois was a happy and loving stay-at-home mother and supportive wife who tended to her three children throughout their childhoods. As the children developed their own activities and later went off to college, Lois loved meeting her girlfriends for card games, mahjong, art museum visits, and antique and clothes shopping. She had known many of her friends since they were all children themselves. It was a somewhat prototypical suburban family life. Then, in 1975, Lois and Dick tragically lost their 24 year old son Stuart to senseless and random gun violence. Lois and Dick, their family members, and community were devastated.

Lois and Dick became very involved with the establishment of a national organization later known as the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence where they became members of the board and financial supporters. Lois testified before Congress and the Maryland legislature on gun legislation, as well as the establishment of various forms of victim's rights legislation. She and other parents who lost children successfully lobbied the Maryland legislature to pass legislation that guaranteed the right of victims of violence and their family members to receive written notices of parole hearings and the right to make impact statements at these hearings. Lois also remained very involved in organizations known as Compassionate Friends and Parents of Murdered Children as a counselor and friend to other parents who had lost children to acts of violence.

Lois and Dick were private about their own pain, but continued to spend time with their friends and family members and enjoyed many trips in this country and around the world with Ann and Carey and other friends. They moved to Edenwald Senior Living in Towson where they met new friends and gathered together with old friends who moved there. Almost unbelievably, they lost a second adult child, their youngest daughter Carol, to gun violence in Atlanta in 2016. Their older daughter Joan passed away in 2022.

Graveside services will be private. There will be no other receptions or gatherings with the family at this time.

Please omit flowers. Contributions in memory of Lois may be sent to The Center for Hope's Child Advocacy Center c/o LifeBridge Health, 2401 W. Belvedere Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215, or the charity of your choice.