David Bruce Hess

Haverhill, MA - David Bruce Hess, a Vietnam veteran, engineer, and devoted family man, passed away in August from complications following a stroke in February. He was 82.

Born to Joseph T. and Lillian Hess of Lynnfield, MA, David served as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, assigned to the 166th Combat Engineering Battalion in Phu Cong, South Vietnam in 1966. He was part of the Big Red One and spoke of his service with quiet pride.

Before deployment, he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. Later, he received a Master's in Operations Research from Penn State University. He spent over 20 years at Bethlehem Steel in Steelton, PA and became a recognized expert in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma. He was active in the Association for Manufacturing Excellence.

David enjoyed golf and tennis, and often crafted custom golf clubs for friends and family.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia Hess (née Janco) of Haverhill, MA; daughter Julie Young of Marlboro, MA, her husband Christopher, and their sons Ryan and Matthew; son Dr. Stephen Hess and his wife Dr. Kathy Perkins Hess of Peabody, MA, and their daughter Gaia.

A celebration of David's life will be held on Tuesday, August 12 from 4-7 PM at Conte Funeral Home, 17 3rd St, North Andover, MA 01845.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that tributes to David's life be made as donations to Hope For The Warriors (https://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/about/make-a-donation/), a nonprofit organization that provides direct support for service members, veterans, and military families. Every contribution helps strengthen self, family, and hope.