Justin "Jess" Hegge Jr.

Justin "Jess" Hegge Jr., age 90, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Friday, November 8th, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sioux Falls. Memorial services will begin at 2:00 PM on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at The Reformed Church of Dell Rapids, with Pastor Brogan Mohlenkamp officiating. A private family interment will precede the memorial service with casket bearers: grandchildren, Christina, Adam, Brittney, Christopher, Johnathan, Jessica, and Sherry. Honorary casket bearers: grandchildren Alisha, Kaylin, Cody, Ryder, Tiffany, Deitrich, Andra, and Spencer. 

Jess was born January 17th, 1934, in Baltic, SD, to Justin and Aggie (Overby) Hegge. He graduated from Baltic High School and joined the United States Marine Corps. He was united in marriage to Virginia Humphrey. They had 4 children together. Later, he married Sharon Thompson in May 1976, and they became a blended family of 7 children.

Jess retired from the South Dakota School for the Deaf, where he was the Physical Plant Director. He worked as both a mechanic and in construction. His family referred to him as the "master mechanic,” and of course it had to be a Ford. He always had a "need for speed" and loved watching Nascar. In his early years and in retirement, he loved building dune buggies to enjoy in the deserts of California and Arizona.

Jess is survived by his wife, Sharon, of 48 years; siblings: Arlyce, Gloria, and Ronald; sons: Ronald Hegge of Dell Rapids, Randall (fiancé Janet) Hegge of Sioux Falls, Paul Thompson of Sherman; daughters: Angela Winkelmann of Tempe AZ, Shelley (Larry) Heinemann of Dell Rapids, Tracey (Fred) Marple of Peoria, AZ; grandchildren: Sherry Hegge of Dell Rapids, Jessica Hegge of Dell Rapids, Adam Hegge of Missoula, MT, Brittney Hegge of Sioux Falls, Tiffany (Erik) Fritsch of Slayton, MN, Deitrich Thompson of Philadelphia, PA, Andra (Sean) Bower of MN, Spencer (Jennifer) Thompson of Sioux Falls, Christina Hegge of Mesa, AZ, Alisha (Omero) Loza of Tempe, AZ, Kaylin (Steve) Dailey of Casa Grande, AZ, Christopher Heinemann of Kimball, Johnathan (Kallie) Heinemann of Dell Rapids, Cody Primm of Wickenburg, AZ, and Ryder Marple of Fort Morre, GA; special daughter-in-law, Joan Hegge of AZ; and great-grandchildren: Victoria, Ice, Neffi, Silas, Layla, Khloe, Wyatt, Berkeley, Everly, Haylee, and Shayden.

Jess was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son, his oldest son, "Little Jess" Justin Hegge III, siblings, Cynthia, John, Patricia, and son-in-law Conan Winkelmann.

Memorials may be sent to the Reformed Church Missions Program.