Mary Lou Vanfossen

Mary Lou (Hess) VanFossen, 89, of Strasburg passed away peacefully on Monday, November 26, 2018 in the New Dawn Retirement Community following a period of declining health.

Born November 13, 1929 in Dover she was the eldest of ten children born to the late George and Edna Maurer Hess. She grew up in Baertown, and attended Wooster Highway School, and later, Dover High School. As a teenager, Mary met the love of her life, Warren P. “Warnie” VanFossen at Columbia Skateland, and together, they shared 72 years of marriage. She loved her family and enjoyed traditions like annual family reunions, baking Christmas cookies with her sister, and making hardtack candy, which began in 1958. Mary also enjoyed gardening and canning, was an avid sports fan who followed the Indians, Cavs and the Buckeyes. She was a member of the former St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Strasburg, and was currently a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dover along with its Senior Citizens organizations.

A wonderful and loving wife, mother and grandmother, Mary will be sadly missed by her husband, Warren; children, Rock (Susie) VanFossen, Kay Edwards both of Strasburg; sisters, Susie Zifer of New Philadelphia, Jackie Pritchard of Zoar, Patricia (Ray) Halter of Massillon, Doris (Dick) Dotts of Dover, Barb (Fred) Richter of Massillon; brother, George (Barb) Hess of New Philadelphia; grandchildren, Jamie (Kevin) Coston, Ty (Nathalie) VanFossen, Rob (Karen) Edwards, Chris (Jessica) Edwards; great grandchildren, Londyn and Breea Coston, Mason and Micah VanFossen, Madeline, Parker and Alaina Edwards, Christopher Jon and Coleton Edwards.

In addition to her parents, Mary was also preceded in death by two brothers, Sonny and Richard Hess, and a sister, Lucille Kopp.

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, December 1st at 1:00 pm in the St. Joseph Catholic Church with Fr. Jimmy Hatfield officiating. Interment will be in the St. Aloysius Cemetery at Strasburg. Friends may call in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home and Crematory at Dover on Friday from 5-7 pm. Christian Wake Services will begin at 6:45. Those wishing to express their fondest memories of Mary may do so by visiting the online obituaries link on the funeral home’s website.

The family would like to thank the staff at Community Hospice for their kind and compassionate care shown towards Mary.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice.