VINTON:  Joann Ruth Hessenius, 83, died Thursday, July 30, 2009 at Virginia Gay Nursing & Rehab in Vinton following an extended illness.
     Funeral Services will be held at 10 AM, Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton with Rev. Kären Larson officiating.  Interment will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton.  Friends may call at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. 6th St-Vinton from 4 to 7 PM on Monday.  A Memorial Fund has been established.
      Joann was born July 6, 1926 at Vinton to Fred and Laura Mae (Pauley) Braginton and graduated from Vinton's Lincoln High School in 1944.
      On December 25, 1946 she was united in marriage to John Hessenius in Vinton.  He preceded her in death in 1966.
       Joann  was employed as secretary and bookkeeper for Elwick Electric and in the Food Service Dept. of the Iowa Braille & Sight Saving School.  A member of Wesley United Methodist Church , she was a member of the church and community choirs.  She had also been a member of Sweet Adelines.
       She is survived by her son, John (Ann) Hessenius of Waterloo; her daughters, Nancy (Dann) Albert, and Becky Hessenius, all of Vinton; her grandchildren, Stephanie Robinson, Alleshia Hessenius, Jill (Blake) Henkle, Amanda Albert; four great-grandchildren, Kelsey Mahood, Kamryn Robinson, Karli Robinson, and Hayden Henkle; her brother, Fred Braginton of Sun City, CA; her sister-in-law, Pat Hessenius of Vinton and her brother-in-law, Ted Berry.
        In addition to her parents and husband, John, she was preceded in death by her daughter Judy, and five sisters.