Idaho State Journal, 09/26/07
MONTPELIER — Spencer Williams Hess, 86, died peacefully Sunday, September 23, at his home in Montpelier, with his arm around his son, Paul’s shoulder. Spencer was born at home on June 11, 1921, on Fourth Street in Montpelier. His father, Charles E. Hess, and mother, Genevieve Williams Hess, were both descendants of original pioneers in the Bear Lake Valley
He started working on the family sheep ranch in Georgetown at age 7, where he learned to love and care for livestock. Spencer graduated from Montpelier High School in 1939, where he was student body president and second in his class academically. He attended the University of Idaho and Oregon State University, where he obtained a degree in pre-dental science. In 1942, he entered the University of Southern California College of Dentistry as part of the Army Dental Program, and earned a degree in dental surgery in June 1945.
Upon graduation and being honorably discharged from the Army, he immediately entered the U.S. Naval Reserve as a lieutenant (jg) and served in the Naval Training Center in San Diego, California. Following that, he served as a dental officer in China for 17 months, where he was attached to the Engineer Battalion, First Marine Division, in Tientsin in northeast China. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in San Diego June 16, 1947.
He was back in Montpelier only three days when he learned of a dental practice for sale in Salmon, Idaho. He bought the practice and was a dentist in Salmon for six years, where he enjoyed the beautiful country and friendly people. He was one of the first people to successfully navigate the famous Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
He met his future wife, Victoria Pick, while visiting Los Angeles, California. Vicki was best friends with Spencer’s older sister, Beth. Spence and Vicki married in 1954, returned to Montpelier, and established his dental practice in 1955.
He was a dentist in Montpelier for more than 30 years. Spencer was on the Montpelier City Council for eight years under three different mayors when many improvements to the city were made, including irrigating the cemetery and building the city’s golf course. For 16 years he was one of three committee members of the Bear Lake County Wool Pool. The Committee graded and shipped fleeces and ensured that county sheepmen received the highest possible prices for their wool. The wool pool routinely shipped approximately 250,000 pounds of wool from 25,000 sheep each year.
He was on the Bear Lake County Free Library Board for about 10 years, where he served as finance chairman and successfully invested several generous donations, thereby increasing the library’s funds significantly. He had just been elected to his third five-year term when illness forced his resignation in 2006.
In addition to being a successful and popular dentist in Montpelier, he operated the Hess sheep ranch in Georgetown. He became primarily a cattle rancher when he purchased and ran the Stauffer Creek cattle ranch in Nounan. Jim Crane, his ranch foreman, and Norma Crane and their children helped Spencer run the ranches for over 35 years.
He was widowed in 1987, and married Christine Michaelson in 1991. Their happy union was cut short when Christine died in 1996.
He is survived by three children, John Hess, Mary Hess Mc-Clanahan, and Paul Hess, and by a stepdaughter, Jan Michaelson Dick.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 28, 2007, at noon at Matthews Mortuary, 702 Clay Street, Montpelier, Idaho. Interment will be at the Montpelier Cemetery.