Why does it seem that the sweetest songs always end too soon?
Joann Hess hummed a happy tune as she pulled hard on the chains, forcing the playground swing higher and higher with each pass. Spring had finally relinquished a warm, sunny day that allowed a long anticipated outside recess. Joann smiled at the sky as the sun warmed her happy little face. It was such a beautiful day! She loved the feel of the wind flipping her hair and the sound of the chain squeaking its cadence from above. As the rest of her class went about the loud madness of their chaotic play, Joann turned to smile at her friend swinging slightly out of sync beside her. With each pass, they reached out to tap fingers until suddenly one grasped the other's hand and created a whirling, spinning tangle of swings, chains and laughing, giggling girls. It was such a beautiful day!
Joann Hess was a vibrant shooting star that flashed into our world on a hot Ohio day in the summer of 1967. Born to James & Joyce Hess, she was a thoughtful and curious girl. As soon as her little hands and feet were able, she began exploring and one of her favorite activities was investigating the deepest reaches of ladies purses. She loved picking out, scrutinizing and sorting all the little treasures like an archaeologist on a dig site. In their beautiful little home on the western edge of Columbus, Joann enjoyed filling her days with dolls, coloring pictures, and playing in the backyard. Raggedy Ann was her constant companion and rarely left her side, even on trips. It wasn’t long before the family was blessed with another beautiful little girl. Her sister, Jennifer was instantly Joann’s dearest and most beloved friend.
Growing up in a Christian home, Joann was a very spiritual girl and was saved at just 5 years old. It became quickly evident that she had a kind and giving heart. Not only would she take on chores like emptying the dishwasher everyday without being asked, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for her to extend a simple kind gesture to strangers, such as a glass of water to men working in the heat outside.
Hungry for knowledge, Joann loved being a student at Maranatha Christian School. She thrived in the classroom with cartoon Bible characters on the wall and the smells of crayon and paste in the air. It was during the first grade that the unwelcome intruder of headaches first crept into her world and it was soon discovered that a tumor had invaded her brain. The outlook was dire and only part of it was removable. When she was just 7 years old, Joann, armed with her faith, underwent an operation to extract the accessible parts of the tumor while her loving parents, family & friends waited and prayed. On the day after her surgery, Joann told her mother that she wanted to finish some questions in her workbook from school. Her mom handed her the book and watched with puzzlement and pride as Joann happily and busily went to work. That’s just the way Joann was. The battle that she fought afterward was sometimes very hard but the one hill that Joann would never surrender was her joy. With Jesus in her heart and her faithful cat Smudge by her side, she lived every day like the gift that it was.
For six more years, Joann graced our world with her warm smiles and happy demeanor even though that vicious foe maintained its grip and regularly made its presence known. Some days when she felt poorly, hours were spent laying on the couch with her devoted Smudge guarding and comforting her.
Many days however, were filled with the typical things in the world of little girls. There was school to attend, homework to be done and church on the weekends. Time would be spent laughing at TV shows, playing games with cousins at the park and, of course, there was always a little sister's hand to hold. It may sound odd but Joann really loved coffee and, at least once, you could have even found her enjoying a hot, steamy cup with the school counselor during a conversation (after a call to Mom, of course!). Music was always part of the Hess home and it was often filled with the sound of the family organ that Joann had learned to play. She lived her faith consistently and once, on a fill-in-the-blank questionnaire, she listed “The Lord Jesus Christ '' as the most special thing that she owned. Wise for her age, she read scripture daily and would regularly memorize verses that she had underlined in her Bible. Joann was always happy to share a golden nugget such as Luke 1:50 “and His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.”
On a cool October day during her 8th grade year, Joann lay peacefully in her warm and comfortable bed. It had been one of the hard days. She scanned the familiar surroundings of her neat and tidy bedroom, pausing on various items and pictures to savor the memories that each held. As Smudge purred nearby, she could feel herself fully immersed in the love of her family, her friends and her God. It was such a beautiful day! Slowly, she closed her eyes to rest and at the young age of 13, Joann Hess broke free from the oppressive shackles of pain and ran full speed into the warm embrace of the Savior that she loved so dearly.
Why does it seem that the sweetest songs always end too soon? Sometimes they do. All songs end but we should take comfort in the fact that music itself carries on. The song may be over but we often hum its familiar tune to bring joy and comfort to ourselves and others. Joann may be gone from our lives but the joy that she brought to our world continues to warm our hearts through her beautiful, cherished memories.
Joann Elizabeth Hess
1967-1981