Shirley Parker Hess
May 14, 1917-Aug. 31, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 10:41 AM PDT
Boise
Born at home in Eureka, Mont., on May 14, 1917, Shirley Parker Hess was the youngest of six children of Frederick Dunham Parker and Evelyn Montbriand Parker. A year later, her family established their home on the shores of Lake Five, near Belton, Mont., and Glacier National Park.
At an early age, Shirley went through her elementary schooling in the one-room school house that her parents had founded. After a year of boarding at St. Mathew’s Catholic High School in Kalispell, Mont., Shirley attended her next three years at Colombia Falls High School in Columbia Falls, Mont., graduating in 1934 at age 16.
Due to a devastating forest fire in 1926, near Lake Five, there was very little work to be found, and in the later 1930s, along with many other young people, Shirley had to leave the area to get a job. She moved to western Washington, lived with her sister, Hazel, and worked in a pear cannery. She swore she would never eat canned pears again. Next, Shirley moved to Ontario, Ore., and lived with her sister, Estelle.
She took a job as a waitress and a bookkeeper at Hing’s Chinese Restaurant. There, she met her husband-to-be when he came in for dinner one late summer evening.
She married Frederick William Hess in Payette, Idaho, on March 4, 1939. They moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, Fred’s hometown, and bought their first home there. In 1942 they moved to Washington and worked in the Vancouver shipyards during World War II, Shirley as a welding inspector and Fred as lead welder. Their daughters, Vicki and Rita, were born there in 1943 and 1944.
After the war, they moved back to Ontario, and, together, on the banks of the Snake River, they founded the Ontario Meat Packing Company. They operated it for almost 20 years, Shirley acting as bookkeeper and general support as she also kept their home and cared for their two little girls.
Every year they raised a big garden of flowers and vegetables, Shirley canning many quarts of fruit and tomatoes for winter provision. They kept rabbits, chickens, sheep and the occasional cow as well.
Their baby son (Frederick William) died at birth in February 1948. Shirley was active in the Lindbergh Grade School PTA and taught Catechism at Blessed Sacrament Church. A third daughter, Kathi Ann, born in 1957 with severe cerebral palsy, became the center of Shirley’s life-long devotion to easing Kathi’s suffering. Shirley, along with her husband, Fred, and others, helped found the Ontario Mary Kay School for Children with Disabilities.
Two years after the death of her husband in 1977, Shirley moved to Boise, Idaho, where all three of her daughters and their families lived. She enjoyed participating in the lives of her children and grandchildren, closely following their activities and supporting them in all their endeavors.
Shirley also volunteered on several Democratic political campaigns, was a member of the Older Women’s League (OWLS) and worked for the 1980 Idaho Census. For the majority of the 30 years Shirley lived in Boise she had a very active role in the extensive care of her daughter, Kathi Ann, who died in 2002.
Shirley read constantly, and, in her very old age, was especially grateful for books, delivered by a library volunteer, as these kept her such company. She also worked crosswords and every other word puzzle that came her way. She knit beautifully, making gorgeous, complicated Aran Isle sweaters and complex-patterned afghans for her daughters, grandchildren and friends. These treasures will be handed down as heirlooms through the generations. Starting when her girls were very young, and on into their junior high, high school and college years, Shirley sewed for them. Her daughters have wonderful warm memories of long hours spent picking out patterns and fabrics to design “formals” for high school and college proms and dances.
Shirley loved to have her family members visit her and was thrilled when her great-granddaughter, Phoebe Marie, was born in January 2008. Some of Shirley’s other favorite things were spending time with her family at Vicki and Roger’s beach house on the Oregon coast, her cats, chocolate of any kind, ice cream, pansies, butter, swimming, being in the mountains, Sunday drives, hot cocoa with whipped cream and Rita’s potato soup.
After a short illness, Shirley died, at home, on Aug. 31, 2009.
All her brothers and sisters, her husband, her infant son, daughter Kathi Ann, and grandson David Sallaz preceded her in death.
She is survived by her daughters, Vicki Hess-Smith and Rita Marie Hess; son-in-law, Roger Smith and former son-in-law, Daryl Sallaz; grandchildren, Jack Piper, Samuel Piper, Ramey Hess Sallaz and grandson-in-law Kevin Reid; her great-granddaughter, Phoebe Marie Reid; brothers-in-law, Richard Powell Sr. and Chuck Ketring; and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her long-time caregiver and friend, Lynn Peltier, without whom Shirley would not have been able to stay in her own home to the end of her days.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 at Wright Congregational United Church of Christ, 4821 W. Franklin Road (near the corner of Orchard and Franklin), Boise. Shirley’s ashes will be buried at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, in Sunset Cemetery, Ontario, Ore.
For over the last 50 years Shirley contributed a little money each month to St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Mont.
Memorials may be sent there in care of St. Labre Indian School, Ashland, Mont., 59004, www.stlabre.org.
