Theresia Hess was born on July 16, 1926, in the village of Budaörs, a suburb of Budapest, Hungary. A survivor of the Second World War, she bore witness to the unimaginable horrors of the Eastern Front. Despite the turmoil she endured, Theresia never lost her fortitude or her sense of wonder at life. After the war, the shifting tides of history forced those of Swabian German heritage in Hungary to return to their ancestral homeland. Theresia, along with her husband Johann and their firstborn, Gisela, were resettled in the countryside near Heidelberg, Germany. Nearly a decade later, when the opportunity arose to emigrate to the New World, they seized it. The family embarked on a two-week voyage across the Atlantic, bound for Montreal.
Their early years in Canada were spent in Ville LaSalle, where they laid down their first roots. Theresia worked as a seamstress on Boulevard St-Laurent, while Johann found work as a machinist, eventually saving enough to open a small machine shop of his own. Yet, Theresia’s heart was drawn to the countryside. Upon hearing of a stone house for sale near the U.S. border, she was shown several properties, but it was the Kenney Store in Hallerton that captured her heart. This marked the beginning of the family’s life in Hemmingford in 1962. In the mid-1980s, the business also moved to Hemmingford, allowing Johann to work there full-time.
In this new chapter, Theresia and Johann found the space to build the life they had once thought impossible—the life denied to them by war. Johann poured himself into his work, while Theresia, with her avant-garde spirit, transformed their world into something truly extraordinary.
Theresia was a woman of boundless colour and an infectious love for freedom. She filled every space she touched with her own brand of magic, turning even the simplest things into something remarkable. Her home was a shrine to her eclecticism, and her lively, outspoken character endeared her and Johann to many friends in the township. They embraced the community, participating in local events and contributing to its vibrant spirit.
In her later years, Theresia lived free from physical or mental hardship, surrounded by the love of her family and friends. She spent her days as she always had—singing, enjoying good food, taking afternoon drives, and never missing an opportunity to discover something new. Theresia was dearly loved, and her presence will be deeply missed. Her memory, however, will live on through her family and all who knew her.
Theresia Hess passed away peacefully at home, in her sleep, retaining a full mind and boundless spirit until the very end. She now joins Johann, and her beloved choir friends and family who preceded her.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Theresia’s exceptional caregivers and the dedicated CLSC home-care team, as well as the palliative home-care nurses who supported her in her final days.
With love,
The Hess family