Hess Funeral Home and Cremation Services

11/24/2025

11/22/2025

Dorothy E Carney, 98, LaGrange, died peacefully at home Friday, November 21, 2025
surrounded by family.

She was born August 9, 1927, in Denison, Iowa, to Robert and Anna (Miles) Baer.
Dorothy loved to tell stories of growing up in rural Iowa spending time exploring the
countryside, riding cows, and hunting gophers. While the Great Depression made parts
of life hard, she valued time with her family and friends. Dorothy graduated from
Denison High School where she wrote for the school paper and performed in several
plays. With no money and no prospects, Dorothy went to Iowa City with a friend in the
hopes of attending college. She found a job at a diner and put herself through a year of
school before they decided to go on another adventure and moved to Sturgis Michigan
where she met her future husband.

She was married September 5, 1950, in Denison, Iowa, to Lloyd H. Carney who
preceded her in death. Together they started Carney Oil and Tire in 1963. She worked
tirelessly to make the business a success and provide for her family. Dorothy was an
avid reader, writer, and painter. She enjoyed time with her family, relaxing at the lake
cottage, and watching Notre Dame Football. She was a devoted wife, mother, and
grandmother who would do anything for her family.

Surviving are one son, Lloyd Carney, Ladson, South Carolina; one daughter, Tina
Carney (Larry Schwartz), Lowell, Michigan; granddaughters, Noel Frost (Rob), Nicole
Logan, and Hopey Gardner (Lara Davis); grandson, Ruben Schwartz; eight great
grandchildren; four great great grandchildren; and one sister, Nancy Jane Martin of
Florida.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Virginia Jorgensen and
Roberta Yankey; one brother, Robert Baer; and one daughter, Sonya Spencer.

A celebration of life will be at 11:00-2:00pm on Friday, November 28th at 603 S Detroit
St, LaGrange, IN.

Memorials may be directed to the LaGrange County Council on Aging.

Arrangements and care entrusted to Hess Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

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11/21/2025

When you’re grieving, the last thing you need is added stress. While Thanksgiving brings a lot of wonderful things, it can also add more to your to-do list. To help you keep things simple while you’re grieving, check out these 7 ways to decrease your Thanksgiving stress!

Are you grieving this Thanksgiving? To keep things simple, check out these 7 ways to decrease Thanksgiving stress during times of grief.

11/19/2025

Letters from important figures, a reel of film, and an Academy Award… what do these all have in common? They’re all in the TIMES Archives! Click the link below to explore these and other artifacts from the archives.

The Zapruder film, a note from Martin Luther King, the first TIME logo, and more

11/19/2025

I had only heard of neighbohood health prior to this gala.

Neighborhood Health is a nonprofit, community-health clinic in Fort Wayne. It aims to be a “healthcare home for everyone,” offering a wide range of services in compassionate, patient-centered environment.

I was really moved by the kindness this organization represented and I truly am thankful to be able to serve a community from a funeral service standpoint with organizations like this nearby. Thank you for allowing Hess Funeral Home and Cremation Services to be a part of this event and a special thank you to this lovely gal who helped get us a seat! 🙏

11/17/2025

Roger W. Harker, age 78, of Howe, IN passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at Parkview LaGrange in LaGrange, IN. Mr. Harker was born on June 10, 1947 in Sturgis, MI to the late Paul and Pauline (Ledyard) Harker. Roger was a cooking enthusiast and worked diligently as a chef for The Corner Café in Stugis, MI and then for the Howe Restaurant in Howe, IN before retiring. Roger enjoyed watching game shows and late night shows on T.V. He also loved cruising around on his lawnmower and moped. Roger will be missed by his friends.

Survivors include:
Special friends, Jeff Baker and Christal Messer of Wolcottville, IN.
Special friends Dave and Susan Baker of Howe, IN.
Special friend, Janie Messer of Wolcottville, IN.

There are no services scheduled at this time and cremation will take place upon Roger’s wishes.

Arrangements and care entrusted to Hess Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

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11/17/2025

Life is a climb, but the view is amazing! Celebrate National Take a Hike Day and explore the beauty around you.

11/16/2025

Shirley Claire Rich, 95, went to be with the Lord on November 15, 2025.

Shirley was born on July 17, 1930, in Hammond, Indiana, to William and Clara (Ruedi) Gruener.
Along with two sisters, she was raised in her family’s business, Gruener’s Grove in Hammond.
She graduated from Hammond High School and, shortly after, married the love of her life,
Homer (Cy) Rich. They shared a beautiful and loving marriage for 71 years until his passing in
2020.

Homer and Shirley had one son, William (Bill) Rich, who married his sweetheart, Valerie Berry.
Bill preceded his mother in death in 2020. They had two children, William C. Rich, Jr. (Willie)
and Jessica Rich.

Shirley is survived by her grandson, Willie (Tonya) Rich of Shipshewana; her granddaughter,
Jessica Rich of Portage, Indiana; six great-grandchildren, Abigail (Greg) Prohl, Haley Gunning,
Jared Gunning, Kelsey Rich, Morgan Rich, and Zoey Rivas; and great-great-grandchildren,
Archie Thalmann and Ellie Prohl.

Shirley will be dearly missed by all. A devoted homemaker, she treasured time spent with her
loved ones and was her family’s biggest fan. She loved baking Springerle cookies, playing
games, and working puzzles. She was also dedicated to researching and preserving her family
genealogy.

Above everything else, Shirley loved to make people smile and laugh. Grandma Shirley would
light up the room with her funny one-liner jokes and sayings. She will be missed dearly by all
who knew and loved her.

Shirley’s life will be celebrated by family in a private setting at a later date.

Arrangements and care entrusted to Hess Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

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11/14/2025

Many families include funeral readings to personalize a loved one's funeral service, but what passages should you choose? If you'd like a little help, check out this list of 10 literary readings to consider!

Literary readings can add personalization and dimension to any funeral or memorial service. Check out this list of options to consider!

11/12/2025

If you are retired, you might be seeking new friendships in this next chapter of your life. Click the link below for practical suggestions to help you make new connections.

Feeling disconnected in retirement? Learn actionable ways to make new friends, expand your social circle, and combat loneliness.

11/11/2025

Today, we mark Veterans Day, a day created to honor our servicemen and women. To all our veterans, we honor you, remember you, and applaud your sacrifice to preserve our freedoms.