Jay Todd Hessman was born to David and Arlene (Jackson) Hessman on April 15, 1962 at the Muscatine General Hospital in Muscatine, IA. At age one, he moved to Ida County, Ida Grove, IA where he spent most of his growing up years. The family moved to Spencer in 1979 where he graduated from Spencer High School in 1981 and participated in wrestling and football.
He was the usual country-type while growing up and at age nine became a member of 4H. This was the beginning of showing livestock and learning how to prepare them for the show. His main interest was in showing pigs and he had his livestock at the Reiff farm north of Ida Grove. Jay had Champion Pen of Three Pigs at the Ida County Fair, Champion Pen of Lambs at the Clay County Fair and the Champion Steer at the Ida County Fair for two years.
On May 30, 1990 Jay married Debra Sue Addengast and resided for five years in Ruthven, IA and during that time he worked at Okoboji Amusement Park. On June 17, 1993 a daughter, Jade Suzanne, was born to this union and a few years later was adopted by John and Barb Addengast. Later Jay and Deb moved north of Spencer where he was employed by Smithfield Foods and he enjoyed working with hogs. His interests were writing articles, doing leather-work and enjoying family and friends.
Jay passed away on August 1, 2014 at a medical facility in Lexington, KY as a result of leukemia. Preceding him in death were his mother, Arlene Hessman; his brother, Scott Hessman; paternal grandparents, David and Elma Hessman and maternal grandparents, Ralph and Letha Jackson.
Surviving Jay are his wife. Debra Sue Hessman; biological daughter, Jade Addengast; his father, David Hessman and his father's special friend, Joan Ludvigson; aunts; uncles; cousins and friends.
SERVICES
Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Friday, August 8, 2014 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer.
OFFICIATING
Pastor Kay Hooper
EULOGY
Randy Krukow
Clay County Sheriff
CASKET BEARERS
Park Ludvigson
Maynard Hogberg
Tom Manley
Linda Swanson
Linda Bress
Jeff Maurer
VISITATION
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, August 7, 2014 with the family present at the Warner Funeral Home in Spencer.
MUSIC
ORGANIST: Gretchen Hagedorn
"How Great Thou Art"
"The Old Rugged Cross"
"Amazing Grace"
by the Congregation
INTERMENT
Riverside Cemetery
Spencer, Iowa
Jay's family would like to thank everyone in attendance for their support and friendship at this time. We would also like to invite everyone to join them for a time of lunch and fellowship in the fellowship hall at Grace United Methodist Church immediately following the graveside services.