By Melissa Guice, Assistant Editor
When Paula Hess talks about her daughter Regina, she recalls a young woman who made friends easily.
"She collected friends like some people collect flowers, " said her mother Paula Hess.
OKCC student, Regina "Reg" Hess, died Saturday, Sept. 12, following a car accident in Newcastle.
At about 5:30 p.m., Hess was driving westbound on S.E. 32nd St. when her car left the roadway. It traveled about 250 feet before it struck a utility pole, said Newcastle Police Lt. Frank Hibbs who is in charge of the investigation.
At present the cause of the wreck is unknown.
Hess was born on Dec. 12, 1977, in West Plains, Mo. She grew up in Colorado and moved to Newcastle where she was very active in school activities and sports at the local high school.
Her high school years were spent behind home plate where she played catcher for the Newcastle Lady Racers. She was also an outfielder for the team. During her junior year she was named Offensive Player of the Year for the Western Division All Conference.
She was an honor student who received many awards as well as being named Who's Who in Sports. She was also a homecoming queen candidate many times.
Upon graduating high school, Hess received a full softball scholarship to Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. She had played Division I softball at WSU for the past two years until she decided to return home to be closer to her brothers.
"She loved her brothers very much," her mother said. "They were her life, her whole family and friends were her life.
"She took care of everyone she loved."
 |
| Regina Ann Hess; photograph courtesy of Oklahoma City Community College |
After Hess returned to Oklahoma, she began taking classes at OKCCC with plans to earn her associate's degree. She was considering transferring to the University of Oklahoma where she wanted to major in health sports counseling.
"She figured that a lot of kids needed help when it came to dealing with sports and school," her mother said. "She even knew, herself, what it was like to deal with school and sports and everyday life. She just wanted to help others with the stress of it all."
Funeral services were Sept. 15 at the First Baptist Church in Newcastle. About 1,600 attended.
Burial was at Oakdale Cemetery in Paden Oklahoma.
Survivors include her mother, Paula Hess of Newcastle; her father, Jerome Hess of Simla, Colo.; two brothers, Paul and Jeremy Hess of Newcastle; maternal grandparents, the Rev. Wayne and Karen Ray of Paden; paternal grandparents, Bonnie and Flem Ball of Emerald Isle, N.C., and Winfred and Lois Hess of Pounding Mill, Va.; paternal great grandmother Sadie Campbell of Doran, Va.; three aunts, Rita Bohn, Jeanna Dobry and Teresa Capps; four uncles, Brian Hess, Paul Ray, Ronnie Ray and Jimmy Ray; many great aunts and great uncles, cousins and other relatives and friends.
Hess was preceded in death by her grandmother, Helen Lorene Ray in 1982.
A memorial fund has been set up in Hess' memory. Memorials may be sent to Regina Hess Memorial Fund c/o Tri-Star Bank, P.O. Box 638, 1308 N. Main St., Newcastle, OK 73065.
_______________
'Regina Ann Hess,' Oklahoma City Community College
Oklahoma City Community College Pioneer, 21 September, 1998
No comments:
Post a Comment