EDWIN JOHN HESS SR. 11/09/1933 - 03/25/2023

Edwin John Hess, Sr., 89, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, passed away peacefully in Houston on March 25, 2023. He was an American businessman, Senior Vice President of Exxon Corporation, and ultimately served on the Management Committee at Exxon from 1993 to 1998.

Edwin Hess was born in Newark, NJ on November 9, 1933, and was the only child of Victoria (nee Bienkowski) and Harry Hess. His childhood was spent in Irvington, NJ, where he graduated from Irvington High School in 1951. He received a degree in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ in 1955, where he was class president and graduated valedictorian. He subsequently received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1957. Shortly after graduating from Harvard, Mr. Hess joined Exxon, where he remained for his 40-year career. Shortly after beginning work at Exxon, he married the love of his life and biggest supporter, Barbara Claire Gernert, on June 29, 1957 in Irvington, NJ. The two of them went on to have a large family, moving to various places throughout the United States during Edwin’s career at Exxon.

Mr. Hess began his career with Exxon at the company’s Bayway Refinery in Linden, N.J. He was transferred to Houston in 1961 and served in various capacities in the marketing, refining, supply and production areas of the business. In 1974,

Mr. Hess became Deputy Manager of the corporation’s Public Affairs Department in New York. He returned to Houston in 1978 as Vice President of Marketing for Exxon Company, U.S.A., and in 1981 he was named Senior Vice President for Exxon Company, U.S.A. His career continued when he became Executive Vice President of the corporation’s worldwide supply and transportation organization in 1985. He was subsequently transferred to Exxon Company International, where he served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, Refining and Planning and traveled throughout the world in this capacity.

In January of 1990, Mr. Hess was named Exxon Corporation’s first Corporate Vice President for Environment and Safety, in which he was responsible for developing, reviewing and then coordinating the company’s worldwide environmental and safety plans. It was in this groundbreaking position that he created the Operations Integrity Management System, which is still used today and created uniformity but also flexibility for the company’s worldwide endeavors. He would later say that creating this program was one of his crowning achievements at Exxon.

The culmination of his career occurred in January of 1993, when he was elected by the corporate board to become Senior Vice President for the Exxon Corporation. In this capacity, he served on the corporation’s five-person Management Committee, which oversaw the worldwide business of Exxon. He retired from the company in 1998.

Edwin had many passions besides family and career. He and his wife, Barbara, loved spending time at their vacation home on Lake Travis, and at the age of 50, he first learned to fly, earning his instrument rated pilot’s license. His great joy was flying his single engine Beechcraft Bonanza with Barbara at his side. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, and as a member of the American Petroleum Institute, the Board of Trustees of Stevens Institute of Technology, the Board of Trustees of The Science Place in Dallas, the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the United States Council for International Business, and the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Dallas, Incorporated. He and Barbara were long time members of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church and Lakeside Country Club in Houston.

Edwin is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara, and his children: Susan Hess and husband Richard Wray of Colleyville, Texas; Cheryl Hess Moore and husband Preston of Houston; Nancy Hess McDonald and husband Wayne of Austin; Cynthia Hess Maddox and husband Robert of Thayne, Wyoming; and Edwin John Hess, Jr. and wife Stephani of Houston; his grandchildren Christina Wray Yver (Hugues), Jennifer Wray, Preston Moore IV (Bethany), Kathryn Moore, Kristen Moore, Wayne McDonald, Jr., Victoria McDonald, Valerie McDonald Todd (Jack), Joshua Maddox, Edwin Hess III, and Claire Hess; and one great grandson, Simon Gabriel Yver. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Rose Hollis, Latrena Lawrence, and the staff of At Your Side Home Care, The Buckingham, and Vantage Hospice for the loving care they provided our husband and father. A funeral service will be held on April 3rd, 2023 at 11:30 AM at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77024. A reception will follow at the church. A private burial will be held at a later date and time for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, or Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Hess family.