Dorothy June Hessong, 62

Dorothy June Hessong went to sleep in Jesus at her home Friday, Oct. 28, 2005, surrounded by her loving family, after a courageous lifelong struggle with chronic illness.

Dorothy was born Sept. 7, 1943, in Dallas, Ore., to George and Dorah (Fry) Hessong. The family moved to Sweet Home, Ore., in 1947. She attended Sweet Home Seventh-day Adventist School and Laurelwood Adventist Academy, graduating in 1961. She went on to Walla Walla College, but was forced to suspend her studies prior to graduating. Determination led her back to school, and she received a degree in nursing in 1993 from Walla Walla College, and then earned her Master of Arts degree from Fresno State University in 1999.

During her lifetime, Dorothy pursued various career paths, being successful in most anything she tried. She was an accomplished musician in voice, organ and piano, composing many Christian songs; was an artist who produced multiple works in oil; and a writer.

She was at various times a boarding school girls dean and music teacher at several Adventist academies. She worked at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Washington, D.C., as a copy editor of Ministry Magazine; at the Arthur Andersen Corporation; at Hewitt Research Foundation in Camas, Wash.; and for Dr. George Woodruff in Portland.

At the age of 48, she went back to school to fulfill a lifelong desire to be in the field of medicine, and completed a degree in nursing. She worked as a nurse at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fresno, Calif., until 2001, at which time her illness finally forced her to retire.

She moved to Kalispell, in 2002, to be close to family members.

Dorothy helped numerous people in need; most of whom were never aware. She always had a project she was working on, and was in the process of editing a book when she passed away.

She will be missed by many, including her mother, Dorah Hessong; sisters, Ann Ingram, Debra Hessong, Sue Ellis, Cindy Groger and Jean Bond; brothers, Robert Hessong, George Hessong, Larry Marcks and Terry Marcks; 13 nieces and 14 nephews; as well as extended family and friends.

Her father and infant brother preceded her in death.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Kalispell Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Flathead Food Bank or to Gospel Outreach, P.O. Box 8, College Place, WA 99324.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.