Marilyn Hessert Sr, August 16, 1928 — February 27, 2019

Marilyn Hessert, Sr. August 16, 1928 – February 27, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Marilyn Hennebry Hessert For 90 years, Marilyn’s easy, inviting smile, warm gaze, insatiable intellect, kindness and humility drew people to her. But it was her inherent strength and belief in God and family that made her as indominable as she was unforgettable. As a student in Switzerland, she learned the art of fencing.

She consumed art and world cultures and traveled the globe. She could have a conversation with depth about almost anything and anyone. Marilyn launched a women’s investment club before they were in vogue and knew the stock market as well as she did fast cars, race horses and jockeys.

A petite woman, she epitomized big ideas, and inspired independence and adventure. She was adamant that her family should do things, not buy things with what they had. When her husband, Tom retired, the two of them flew their twin-engine plane over the Atlantic, and around Europe for a month with Tom as pilot and as in life, Marilyn as his co-pilot.

A housewife, Marilyn was anything but typical. She taught her children to believe they could do anything, then nudged them to go beyond dreaming and do! She shocked her grandchildren by water skiing at age 80 and when she walked into a room, people couldn’t help but admire her silver curls and the fact that she still wore high heels and looked good in them.

During their 67 years of marriage, she would look lovingly at her husband Tom and ask, “how’s my love? ” and supported everything he did. Marilyn Hennebry Hessert grew up in LaGrange, Illinois and attended St. Mary’s of Notre Dame where she fell in love with her husband, Thomas J. Hessert Sr and the University of Notre Dame where the Hessert Center of Aerospace Research was named after the two of them.

They lived most of their lives in Haddonfield, NJ and Stewart, Florida. She is survived by their six children and their families, Tom Jr. and wife Debbie, Kathleen H. Gunderman and husband Tim, William Hessert and Tammy, Barbara Heenan and husband, Jack, and Ann H. McKenna, and husband, Tim. They had seventeen grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother-in-law John Madden and sister-in-law Shirley Hennebry. Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hessert Center at the University of Notre Dame or the Alzheimer’s Association.

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