Carleen Hess

Carleen Rita Hess, age 87, of Imperial Beach, California and formerly of Carroll, Iowa, died on August 18, 2021 at Scripps Mercy Medical Center in Chula Vista, California.

Carleen was born on January 26, 1934 in Carroll, Iowa, and she was the daughter of Carl and Frances (Hesse) Hess.  Carleen grew up in Carroll and graduated from St. Angela’s Academy, and Creighton University where she was the editor of the Creightonian Newspaper.  She worked briefly for a newspaper in Glenwood, Iowa before enlisting in the United States Navy.  She was stationed in Italy, Iceland, San Diego, Hawaii, and the U.S. Naval War College in New Port, Rhode Island.  Carleen was also stationed in Washington D.C., working at the Pentagon.  Carleen was honorably discharged after twenty three years of service attaining the rank of Commander. After several years of retirement she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Southwestern College in San Diego.  She worked in several clinics in San Diego and did volunteer nursing for HIV patients.  Carleen was smart, intelligent and current on general, political, and social issues.  She was passionate about animal rights and animal rescue, and she enjoyed gardening and working with wood.
Carleen is survived by her spouse Evon “Frankie” Wilson of Imperial Beach, California; two brothers: John Hess and his wife Linda of Decorah, Iowa, and Bill Hess and his wife Karen of Carroll, Iowa; a sister-in-law Barbara Grant of Sun City, Arizona; two brothers-in-law: Dale Sherk of Tacoma, Washington, and Keith Sherk of Puyallup, Washington; several nieces and nephews; and many good friends.

Carleen was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Fran Hess; and a sister Loraine Quinn.

Memorials may be given in Carleen’s memory to: Any Animal Humane Society; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospitals; or Doctors Without Borders.