Obituary for Donald Thomas Hess Sr.
Donald Thomas Hess, age 86, of Westwood, MA and formerly of Garden City, NY, passed away peacefully in his home earlier this week surrounded by his entire family after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s. He was born in Woodhaven, NY, son of Gertrude and Francis Hess and older brother of Susan.
An excellent student of math and science his entire life, Don was a 1954 graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. In 1957, he graduated first in his class from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn with a B.E.E. in electrical engineering, before receiving an M.S. in electrical engineering from MIT in 1958, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1962. While in Boston, he met Carole Minton, his soulmate, on a blind date. They continued to date when he moved back to NY, where he discovered the other love of his life, flying, and earned his private pilot’s license in 1960. Don and Carole married in 1962, honeymooned first in Bermuda and then flew themselves to the Bahamas in their Piper TriPacer. They had many adventures in a number of planes all throughout the 1960s, eventually expanding to a 4-seater to share their love for flying with their small children.
After earning his Ph.D., Don became a professor of electrical engineering at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He taught there for many years and, with his friend and colleague Dr. Kenneth Clarke, wrote a definitive textbook on communication circuits that is still used in universities today. In 1969, Don and Ken left academia and founded their own electrical engineering firm. At Clarke-Hess Communications Research Corporation, they designed, built and sold precision test equipment, and Don is the proud recipient of two U.S. patents.
Don embraced hard work and practiced a lifelong love of learning and teaching. In his personal and professional life he was a perfectionist as well as an absolute stickler for proper grammar. His children and their friends can attest to this, their own grammar usage all the better for his admonitions. Many recount the story when Don, home alone, severely cut his wrist and went to the neighbors for help. When a child peeked out from the front door and said, “Who is it?”, Don famously replied, “It is I, Dr. Hess, your neighbor.” There is no end to the number of grammar “students” he inspired over his lifetime.
Don and Carole have four children and have always been invested in their community. Don was a Boy Scout leader of Troop 56 in Garden City, NY for many years. He had strong faith and was active in his parish - St. Anne’s of Garden City - where he was a lector and, with Carole, taught Pre-Cana classes. He was also president of the St. Anne’s school board while his children attended the school.
In his free time, Don loved golf and tennis and played both regularly as a member of the Garden City Country Club. In the winter months, he loved paddle tennis and skiing. He also loved to play his guitar and sing. Singing was a staple in the car when he drove his family from NY to Maine for their annual summer vacation in Unity. His children still sing the camp songs he taught them, and continue the tradition with their own children.
Don and Carole were avid travelers, chasing total solar eclipses around the globe in China, Egypt, and Nashville, TN. They also climbed Machu Picchu in Peru. The most meaningful trip for Don was when he took all of his children and grandchildren to Israel for ten days in 2019. It is a trip the family will never forget.
Don cherished his immediate and extended family. Family gatherings for major holidays were always large, fun, often uproarious events with games, competitions, and prizes for more than 50 family members. He loved every minute of them. He also cherished every second he was in the air. He purchased his last plane at age 70, allowing for many weekends on Block Island and in Maine with his beloved Carole during retirement. As it said on the back of his car, he’d rather be flying! And now he is.
For 59 ½ years, Don was the loving husband of Carole, née Minton and devoted father to their four children: Diane Brush (Charles) from New York City, Donald Hess (Peter Cahn) from Boston, Gail Hvidsten (Kyle) from Needham, MA, and Lauren Tessier (Christopher) from Walpole, MA. He is also survived by his younger sister Susan Hess Cassidy of Minnesota. He was the adored Papa to ten loving grandchildren: Alexander Brush, David Brush, Charlie Brush, Andrew Brush, Henry Hvidsten, Oliver Hvidsten, Anna Hvidsten, Thomas Tessier, Kate Tessier, and Grant Tessier. He was a cherished brother-in-law as well as uncle to dozens of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Visitation hours will be from 4-8 pm on Friday, February 4 at Roberts Mitchell Caruso Funeral Home, 15 Miller Street, Medfield, MA. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Saturday, February 5 at Saint Joseph Parish, 1382 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA. Masks are requested by the family.
To join Mass virtually, please click the link on the "photos and videos" tab.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s name to the non-profit hospice that provided compassionate comfort and care during his final month: Old Colony Hospice and Palliative Care, a 501(c)3.
An excellent student of math and science his entire life, Don was a 1954 graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. In 1957, he graduated first in his class from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn with a B.E.E. in electrical engineering, before receiving an M.S. in electrical engineering from MIT in 1958, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1962. While in Boston, he met Carole Minton, his soulmate, on a blind date. They continued to date when he moved back to NY, where he discovered the other love of his life, flying, and earned his private pilot’s license in 1960. Don and Carole married in 1962, honeymooned first in Bermuda and then flew themselves to the Bahamas in their Piper TriPacer. They had many adventures in a number of planes all throughout the 1960s, eventually expanding to a 4-seater to share their love for flying with their small children.
After earning his Ph.D., Don became a professor of electrical engineering at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He taught there for many years and, with his friend and colleague Dr. Kenneth Clarke, wrote a definitive textbook on communication circuits that is still used in universities today. In 1969, Don and Ken left academia and founded their own electrical engineering firm. At Clarke-Hess Communications Research Corporation, they designed, built and sold precision test equipment, and Don is the proud recipient of two U.S. patents.
Don embraced hard work and practiced a lifelong love of learning and teaching. In his personal and professional life he was a perfectionist as well as an absolute stickler for proper grammar. His children and their friends can attest to this, their own grammar usage all the better for his admonitions. Many recount the story when Don, home alone, severely cut his wrist and went to the neighbors for help. When a child peeked out from the front door and said, “Who is it?”, Don famously replied, “It is I, Dr. Hess, your neighbor.” There is no end to the number of grammar “students” he inspired over his lifetime.
Don and Carole have four children and have always been invested in their community. Don was a Boy Scout leader of Troop 56 in Garden City, NY for many years. He had strong faith and was active in his parish - St. Anne’s of Garden City - where he was a lector and, with Carole, taught Pre-Cana classes. He was also president of the St. Anne’s school board while his children attended the school.
In his free time, Don loved golf and tennis and played both regularly as a member of the Garden City Country Club. In the winter months, he loved paddle tennis and skiing. He also loved to play his guitar and sing. Singing was a staple in the car when he drove his family from NY to Maine for their annual summer vacation in Unity. His children still sing the camp songs he taught them, and continue the tradition with their own children.
Don and Carole were avid travelers, chasing total solar eclipses around the globe in China, Egypt, and Nashville, TN. They also climbed Machu Picchu in Peru. The most meaningful trip for Don was when he took all of his children and grandchildren to Israel for ten days in 2019. It is a trip the family will never forget.
Don cherished his immediate and extended family. Family gatherings for major holidays were always large, fun, often uproarious events with games, competitions, and prizes for more than 50 family members. He loved every minute of them. He also cherished every second he was in the air. He purchased his last plane at age 70, allowing for many weekends on Block Island and in Maine with his beloved Carole during retirement. As it said on the back of his car, he’d rather be flying! And now he is.
For 59 ½ years, Don was the loving husband of Carole, née Minton and devoted father to their four children: Diane Brush (Charles) from New York City, Donald Hess (Peter Cahn) from Boston, Gail Hvidsten (Kyle) from Needham, MA, and Lauren Tessier (Christopher) from Walpole, MA. He is also survived by his younger sister Susan Hess Cassidy of Minnesota. He was the adored Papa to ten loving grandchildren: Alexander Brush, David Brush, Charlie Brush, Andrew Brush, Henry Hvidsten, Oliver Hvidsten, Anna Hvidsten, Thomas Tessier, Kate Tessier, and Grant Tessier. He was a cherished brother-in-law as well as uncle to dozens of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Visitation hours will be from 4-8 pm on Friday, February 4 at Roberts Mitchell Caruso Funeral Home, 15 Miller Street, Medfield, MA. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Saturday, February 5 at Saint Joseph Parish, 1382 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA. Masks are requested by the family.
To join Mass virtually, please click the link on the "photos and videos" tab.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s name to the non-profit hospice that provided compassionate comfort and care during his final month: Old Colony Hospice and Palliative Care, a 501(c)3.