Obituary of Bruce Glenn Hess

Mr. Bruce Glenn Hess, age 86, of Johnstown, NY, died Friday, March 18, 2005 at Nathan Littauer Hospital, Gloversville, following a lengthy illness. He was born November 18, 1918 in Cohoes, NY, the son of Theodore and Frida Bach Hess. While attending Cohoes High School he was a well known hockey and speed skater and played baseball for the Cohoes, Troy and Watervliet softball league. He was a graduate of Cohoes High School and the the State University of New York at Cobleskill, also Clemson University with graduate studies at Columbia University. He was also a certified laboratory pathologist. Eight months front line combat with the 2nd Infantry Division during World War II earned him two bronze stars, four purple hearts, a presidential unit citation, and the Belgium and French Croix de Guerre. He was employed as a New York State Veterans Counselor in Albany County from 1945 to 1957, and also in Fulton County from 1957 until his retirement in 1980. He was an on the job specialist, writing up and setting up over five thousand OJT programs in Albany and Rensselaer counties. He also placed over 6, 000 veterans in these jobs. He was also an advisor to the New York State Legislature, was a part-time speech writer for former governor and presidential candidate Thomas E. Dewey. He was the Republican candidate for State Senator for the 45th Senatorial District, served on the NY State Civil Defense Commission, NYS Parade Committee, and Albany State Employees Community Chest campaign co-chairman. Mr. Hess was past president of the Fulton County DAV Corporation, the Gloversville Post Corporation, Cohoes Improvement Society and first president of the Fulton-Montgomery CSEA Retiree Chapter 925. He was draft board registrar for Fulton County, former member board of directors of Fulton County American Red Cross, Senior Citizens Center of Gloversville and Fulton County, Fulton County Bi-Centennial Celebration, US Army Advisory Board, and member of the original Fulton County Planning Board and Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. County campaign chairman American Red Cross, Gloversville Chairman March of Dimes, County Chairman Ethiopian Relief, Chairman to erect monument to killed in action during Revolutionary War, Co-chairman erect monument to Johnstown graduate students killed in all wars, chairman Salute to Vietnam Veterans. Liason Fulton County Civil Defense, US Reemployment Rights Representative, Glovers Parade Committee. A former member of Concordia Singing Society, Ancient Order of Foresters, Danish Brotherhood in America. Honorary member Veterans of WWI, Cohoes Lodge 116 F&AM, Royal Arch Masons, honorary member 27th Division Asssociation, commander of five veterans organizations, National Service Officer Military Order of the Purple Heart, Tri-County Counselors Association, Fulmont Human Rights Committee, campaign chairman for three mayoral candidates and one county judgeship. In 1997 he was inducted into the National Legion of Honor at Valley Forge, PA; and awarded the ?National Humanitarian of the Year? award by the Chapel of the Four Chaplains of Valley Forge. He was a member of the United Church of Cohoes. Mr. Hess is survived by his wife E. Florence Hess of Johnstown; two daughters, Lynda Nevulis and her husband Robert of Niskayuna, and Dixie Stevens and her husband William of Bethlehem; and grandchildren Robert Nevulis and Leigh Stevens. The family will receive friends from 3 to 6 PM Sunday, March 20th at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St., Gloversville. Funeral Services and mausoleum entombment will take place at 1:00 PM Monday. March 21st at the Edgewood Chapel of Memory´s Garden, Watervliet Shaker Rd; Colonie, with Pastor Nicholas TeBoro officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Assoc., 440 New Karner Rd., Albany, NY 12205.