Hamilton HESS

HESS, Hamilton Hamilton Hess, 92, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 5, 2017, in his home in Santa Rosa, California, surrounded by his family. Born December 11, 1924, to Frederick and Mary (Lee) Hess in Oakland, California, Hamilton spent his childhood years in Bishop, Cobb Valley, and Santa Rosa, graduating from Santa Rosa High School in 1942. After serving in the Army in Europe during World War II, he earned a B.A. in history, philosophy and English from the University California, Berkeley. He studied for the Anglican priesthood at St. Stephen's House in Oxford, England, earning the BA/MA degree through St. Catherine's College, Oxford. He earned the D.Phil. in theology from Oxford University in 1954. Hamilton met Margaret E. Barnwell at U.C. Berkeley in 1947, and in 1951 they married at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Berkeley, California. Together they became Roman Catholics in 1959. In 1963 Hamilton began his teaching career at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, returning to California to teach at the University of San Francisco until his retirement in 1990. Hamilton was an avid backpacker, traveler of Europe, and environmentalist. He was one of the founders of "Friends of Cobb Mountain" (1972) which he chaired until 2015. He was also Chair of the Northern California Branch of the Oxford Society for seventeen years. We will miss his wonderful humorous approach to life and his desire for adventure. He loved to spend time with his family and wide range of friends. Hamilton was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Margaret. He is survived by his daughter Mary Hess, and by sons Frederick Hess; Peter and Viviane (Harymbat) Hess; and John and Chris (Hedges) Hess, and by his grandchildren: Elizabeth, Daniel, Katrina, Margaret, Julianna, Michael, and Robert, and by great-grandson Alrik. A Mass celebrating Hamilton's life will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2017, at St. Rose Church at 2:30 p.m. with a reception to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.