Coldwater native James P. Hess, 79, of Bellefontaine, died at 7:10 a.m. Dec. 18, 2007, at his home.

He was born Aug. 4, 1928, in Coldwater, to Carl Zeno and Mary Margaret Dugan Hess. On Dec. 29, 1956, he married Ann Elizabeth Elder, who survives.

Other survivors are two sons, Patrick (Cymbria), Cincinnati, and Daniel (Patricia), Bellefontaine; a daughter, Jane (Michael) Collins, Alexandria, Va.; and several grandchildren.

He formerly worked as a salesman for Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, and for his father at the Coldwater Lumber Company, before owning and operating the Hess Lumber Company, Bellefontaine, until his retirement in September 2000. He sent a percentage of his lumberyard profits for years to poor villages in Haiti, South America and Romania, as well as along the Amazon River. He graduated from Coldwater High School and Miami University, Oxford, in 1950, majoring in business. He also was a U.S. Air Force veteran, assigned as a finance officer at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, and Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Bellefontaine.

Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, the Rev. Patrick Sheridan officiating. Burial is at Calvary Cemetery, Bellefontaine.

Calling is 6-8 p.m. Friday at Eichholtz Funeral Home, Bellefontaine.

Contributions can be made to St. Vincent dePaul Society of St. Patrick Catholic Church or any hospice organization.

Condolences can be made at www.eichholtzfuneralhome.com.