John Edwin Hess

Carlsbad, NJ

On July 23, 2018, beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Edwin Hess of Pinehurst, NC and Carlsbad, CA, formerly of Somerville, NJ, passed away peacefully at Hospice of the North Coast’s Pacifica House in Carlsbad after a short illness.

John was born in Somerville on January 15, 1929, son of former Somerville Mayor Freas Leslie and Wilhelmina Taylor Hess.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Freas L. Hess, Jr., his twin sister Jean Elizabeth Hess Anderson, and his beloved wife of 60 years, Sophie Marsjanik Hess.
He is survived by his daughter Mary Lynn Hess Young, her husband Michael, grandson Cole, step-grandchildren, Andrea and Jordan, as well as many nieces and nephews and their families.

A 1946 graduate of Somerville High School, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served with the Force Recon Company, 2nd Marine Battalion and the 2nd Amphibious Recon Battalion. A veteran of WWII and the Korean War, John served aboard the submarines USS Finback and USS Sealion and was also assigned to an Underwater Demolition Team Unit based at the Naval Amphibious Training Base, Little Creek, VA.

After attending Rutgers University, John went to work for Johns-Manville Corporation. When he retired from J-M 40 years later, he was a Product Design/Aerospace Engineer whose aerospace insulative products could be found on most NASA missions from Project Mercury through the Apollo Lunar Module and the Space Shuttle Program. While working closely with NASA-Ames Research, John developed Quilite®, the AFRSI material blanket that replaced the Shuttle’s rigid tiles.

John was also a volunteer fireman with the Somerville West End Hose Company.

John and Sophie retired to Pinehurst, NC in 1992 where John was a charter member of the Marine Corps League Sandhills Detachment. He coordinated their Toys for Tots effort for many years and was named Detachment Marine of the Year in 2000. He volunteered at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital for over 18 years as a shuttle driver. But mostly, John loved being out on the golf course with Sophie and his grandson, Cole. After moving to Carlsbad to live with Lynn and Michael, he still enjoyed playing golf twice a week until just few weeks before his death.

A Graveside Service and Interment for both John and Sophie will be held at The New Cemetery of Somerville on Saturday, October 6 at 11:00AM. Arrangements are under the direction of Cusick Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Wreaths Across America or Marine Corps League Foundation in John’s memory.