Apr 10, 2021
Richard L. Hessert, 87, of Rumson, New Jersey, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on the morning of March 30, 2021 after a lengthy battle with dementia and later, COVID.
Dick was born in DuBoistown on September 29, 1933 to father George L. Hessert Sr. and mother Elizabeth (Denius) Hessert-Heilman. The youngest of three sons, Dick graduated from South Williamsport High School, where he played all-state football. He was drafted into the U.S. Army after graduation and was stationed in Berlin, Germany during the Korean War as a combat engineer. His job was to wire bridges between East and West Berlin with explosives to curtail the Soviets. Upon exiting the military, Dick attended Lycoming College, graduating with a degree in mathematics. Soon after, Dick was hired at Geisinger Medical Center to set up one of the first dialysis labs in the country. Dick attended the University of Washington, Seattle, for extensive training in dialysis. Dick became a pioneer in th