Joseph B. Hess, MD

Joseph B. Hess, M.D., 91, of Lancaster passed away Friday, August 25, 2023, at Pleasant View Retirement Community in Manheim, PA. He was the son of the late Joseph B. and Beulah B. Hess, of Akron, PA. Joe married Shirley Caulwell Hess in 1954 and will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, physician, and musician. He was a graduate of Lititz High School (1949), Gettysburg College (1953) and Jefferson Medical College (1957). After completing a two-year internship at LGH, he began working for the U.S. Public Health Service, relocating with his wife and 6-month-old son (Joseph) to Gallup, N.M., for two years, treating patients from the Navajo Indian Reservation. His daughter (Julie) was born there in 1960. They returned to Lancaster in 1961 and he started a solo medical practice east of Lancaster on the Old Philadelphia Pike, from 1962 - 1998, when he retired. Joe was a proud tuba player and charter member of the Auscultation Brass, as well as playing trombone with the Lititz Moravian Trombone Choir since 1947. His talents and interests were many! In addition to playing many musical instruments (self-taught), he enjoyed bird watching, hunting, fishing, leather work, sewing, volunteering at the Landis Valley Museum, gun shop and trains, as he worked on the railroad in his youth. He is survived by his son, Joseph B., husband of Karen of Auburn, AL; daughters Julie Lyons, wife of Jeffrey Lyons of Lancaster, and Lori Hess, wife of Kevin Sollenberger, of Leola. Also surviving are grandchildren Joseph and Tom Hess, Jeffrey and Jessica Lyons and great-grandchildren Joseph, John and Abraham Hess. He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley in 2017. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Joe’s Celebration of Life Memorial Service at The Groffs Family Funeral Home, 528 W. Orange Street (corner of W. Orange & Pine Sts.), Lancaster, PA, on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. with the family receiving friends at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joseph’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society.