Helen Hess, 98, of Lewisburg Dies; Longtime Church Volunteer and Matriarch

Helen (Kelly) Hess, 98, a long-serving church volunteer and well-known matriarch in Lewisburg, died at home on January 17, 2026. Her passing removes a steady presence from local worship circles and the volunteer networks that serve Union County residents.

Born January 27, 1927, in Clearfield, Hess married Roy J. Hess in 1949; he predeceased her in 2012. Over nearly a century of life she cultivated a range of interests that neighbors will remember - reading, golf, bridge, playing games and gardening - and she gave much of her time to community causes. Records show she volunteered with the Salvation Army and remained active in her church for decades, roles that made her a familiar volunteer at local drives and fellowship events.

Hess is survived by four children: Susan Smalley of Lewisburg, Patricia Kephart of State College, Ann Belue of Charlotte, North Carolina, and James Hess of Lake Kiowa, Texas. She also leaves 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Family members described her as devoted and prayerful, qualities that shaped both family life and her contributions to community faith activities.

The immediate impact of Hess’s death will be felt most directly by family and the congregations and charities where she volunteered. Small organizations like the Salvation Army depend on long-term volunteers for continuity in outreach, distribution and event planning. When a volunteer with institutional memory and social ties passes, programs can lose not only labor but also the trust and connections that help reach vulnerable neighbors. For Lewisburg, her loss underscores the importance of recruiting and supporting volunteers across generations to sustain local social services.

Hess’s death at home also highlights broader issues around aging in Union County - the preference many older adults have for remaining in familiar homes, and the informal networks of family and neighbors that make that possible. As the county’s population ages, families, faith communities and service providers will increasingly face questions about in-home care, respite for caregivers and access to bereavement support.

A full obituary lists service and visitation details as well as the family’s funeral arrangements and contact information for those wishing to offer condolences. For community members who knew Hess through church, charity or neighborhood gardens, her passing is a prompt to reflect on the role elder volunteers play in local life and to consider how to carry forward the civic and caring commitments she embodied.

Her life leaves a local legacy of steady service and family connection; what comes next for Union County is how neighbors and institutions choose to sustain the volunteer spirit she represented.