Connie Espenschied Hess

Connie K. (Gehring) Espenschied Hess, 77, of Dover, went home to be with her heavenly father on October 3, 2020, in the Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital following a sudden illness.

Born in Dover on October 12, 1942, she was the daughter of Dorothy Ellen (Weber) Smith and the late Myron W. Gehring.

After completing her formal education at Beach City High School in 1960, she began her professional career working for John B. Garver in Strasburg before joining GTE as a head operator.

Then, she shared her talents with Kent State University Tuscarawas in 1968, entering the educational system as a secretary, moving into the administration and ultimately becoming Director of Admissions. Connie’s mission at Kent State was to encourage all students to continue their formal education after high school no matter what their circumstances. She always preached being the best you can be and helped many achieve that status during her 35-year tenure with the university.

While at Kent, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Student Activities Committee. Additionally, she was the recipient of the Kent State University Regional Campuses Award for Outstanding Service.

Connie was the first female president of the Dover Kiwanis Club and a past president of the Mother’s Club for the Dover Tornadoes.

Her outgoing personality and love for life was evident in each conversation, always ending the interaction with, “Why don’t we have lunch some day?” She knew no strangers. She and her husband, Barry, were members at Strasburg United Methodist Church where she was an active member, participating in the choir, food pantry, Bible study, Sunday School, and leadership team. She also loved her Sunday School class at St. Paul UMC in Largo, Florida.

Connie loved wintering in Florida for the past 20 years and enjoyed her summer home on Seneca Lake too. She had a passion for sports, loved music, but most importantly, was a proud, supportive, and loving wife, mom, and “Grammy”.

Connie will be deeply missed and always cherished by her family including her husband, Barry Hess, of Dover; her children, Connie (Tim) Dennison of Dover and Todd (Lisa) Espenschied of Hilliard; Barry’s children, Lori (Steve) Tompos of Elmhurst, IL, and Kent (Stephanie) Hess of Gahanna; her 10 dear grandchildren; her mother, Dorothy Smith of Dover; and her siblings, Mike (Terri) Gehring, Randy (Charlotte) Gehring, Mark (Trudy) Gehring, Vicki Mercer, Lisa (Kelly) Abbuhl. Completing the family are several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 9, 2020 in the Geib Funeral Center at Dover from 4 to 7 p.m. Pastors Joyce Hoile and Steven Court will officiate a celebration of her life on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service. Entombment will follow the service in the Dover Burial Park.

In supporting her love of education and her faith, memorial contributions in Connie’s memory may be directed to either the Tuscarawas County University Foundation, 330 University DR NE, New Philadelphia, OH 44663, for the development of an educational scholarship for a Kent State Tuscarawas student, or to the Strasburg United Methodist Church, 206 2nd St NW, Strasburg, OH 44680.