Margaret Wallis Hess

BOISE, Idaho – Margaret Wallis Hess, 98, of Boise, Idaho, died Tuesday, May 22, 2012, at Valley View Life Care Center in Boise, where she had resided for the past 6 years.

She was born April 7, 1914, in Weston, and grew up on the family farm in Harmon. She graduated from Amboy High School and went on to nurse’s training at Dixon Public Hospital, graduating as a registered nurse. After receiving her license as a registered nurse, her career included general duty nursing, industrial nursing and mental health nursing over a period of 50 years. She retired from Dixon State School and Hospital in 1975.

She came to Idaho in 1984, volunteering at the Boise Senior Center, St. Alphonsus eye surgery floor until it closed. She went to water aerobics until she was 88.

She married Harry Lee Wallis on April 4, 1936. They had four children, Lee, Louise, Linda and Lois. She and Harry were granted a divorce in June 1955. She married Orville Hess in 1967. The enjoyed their life together until he passed away in 1981.

She is survived by her four children, Lee (Sally) Wallis, Louise (RT) Kendall, Linda (Neal) Otten and Lois (Dale) Woodcook; two sisters, Edith Compton, 97, and Josephine Cockran, 93; nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and two nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; a brother, Fredrick, in infancy; and one sister, Mabel Tenent.

The family wishes to express a special thanks to their mother’s wonderful loving care provided by Valley View Life Care Center staff.

Visitation was Tuesday at Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise. Graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m. today at Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens in Boise.

Visit www.cloverdalefuneralhome.com to send condolences.