Georgia peacefully passed away July 11, in her apartment at The Grand Victorian in Rockford, with her daughter, Janet Schiro, at her bedside.  She was born on September 19, 1925 to George (Galileo) and Ida Vannie in Beloit Wisconsin.  She graduated from Beloit High School, and from University of Wisconsin Whitewater, with a degree in Education.

Miss Vannie's first full-time Teaching position was as Business Education Teacher at Stockton High School.  While working there she fell in love with and married Eugene Hess, a local young man just back from Military Service.  Together they had and raised four children.  Georgia was the Bookkeeper and Business Manager for Eugene's Hess Construction Company.  She returned to teaching with positions at Holy Cross Elementary School, Hanover High School, and as instructor for a variety of Continuing Education and GED classes at Highland Community College.

Georgia was a cherished Mom, a beloved Grandmother, and was devout in her Roman Catholic Faith.  She was a life-long educator, and a loyal friend to those many whose lives she was of a part.

She is preceded in death by her husband Eugene, her sister and Brother-in-law Vanna (Sam) Schriner, and her parents Galileo and Ida Vannie.  She is survived by her four children; Joseph (Jan) Benson (Hess) of La Crescenta CA, Janet V. (Jack) Schiro of Machesney Park IL, Gerard (Debbie) Hess of Kalamazoo MI, and Jonathan (Linda) Hess of Argyle WI, and six Grandchildren, Marissa (Daniel) Feuster, Jillian Sorn, Nick Hess, Alex Hess, Jenna Benson, and Jeremy Benson.

Accomplishments from her early life (that her children never tired of teasing her about) included; being crowned Junior High Girl's Tennis Champion, being a participant in the High School Water Ballet in 1941, and having her first Secretarial job (as a college student) at The Brown Swiss Dairy Association.

Accomplishments from late in her life, which give testament to her spirit, include; her joy at having her family gather for her September Birthday celebrations, her persistent intercession with the Catholic Diocese of Rockford, making possible the establishment of a regular schedule of Mass being celebrated at the Grand Victorian, and her embrace of the volunteer role of Librarian for The Grand Victorian, from which she shared her love of reading with many others.

Georgia's remains have been cremated, and her family will hold a Memorial Celebration of her life at a future date.