Douglas "Doug" Gerald Hesse

Douglas Gerald “Doug” Hesse, age 78, of the Reynolds Community in Greensboro, Ga, died Monday, September 26, 2022, at his residence from pancreatic cancer after an 8-month battle to survive. Doug was born on August 26, 1944, to the late La Vern G. Hesse and Vera Marie Nelson Hesse. When he was 3, his parents divorced and Doug and his mother moved to Ruthven, Iowa to live with her parents, Nels and Hilda Nelson. Doug contracted polio at age 5 and spent 2 months in a Des Moines Iowa hospital.  He was partially paralyzed and lived in an oxygen tent.  His mother came to visit him every day, and she got polio too!  She was paralyzed from her neck down and lived in an iron lung at home.

Doug enjoyed school and was a good student until his dear mom passed away at age 37.  He was a good athlete and enjoyed all sports, especially baseball.  He graduated from Ruthven High School in 1962. and worked for Neisner Brothers Dept Store, but it was not a good fit for a small-town Iowa boy, so he went back home to Ruthven, Iowa where he enlisted in the Army.  In 1965 he was in Ft. Leonard Wood for Army basic training. Doug then spent 6 years in the National Guard. In 1966-67, he attended Brown Institute of Broadcasting and became a rock n’ roll disc jockey! And had his own radio program. When he moved back to Chicago, he met Roselyn (Ro) Capelle, and they were married in 1973.  Doug and Ro then moved to Colorado, and both worked at the Denver Institute of Technology.

Doug and Ro became Christians when they moved to Denver and devoted their lives to Jesus Christ. Doug and Ro had 2 children, Megan and Ryan, and they lived in the Denver area until 1984 when they decided to move to Roswell, Georgia.  Doug also discovered he had a second daughter in 2001 in Minnesota, Michelle Keiper, and she was a delightful addition to the family. 

Doug became a Certified Financial Planner in 1980 and it was a start of helping people with their financial needs for over 40 years!  He really loved helping people get to a better financial life.  Doug and Ro moved to Lake Oconee in 1998 and were actively involved in the community. Ro got cancer and for 5 years they battled it together, spending many hours in hospitals around the country until she went home to Jesus on 8-29-2006. 

In 2008 Doug married Jeanne Reynolds at the Creek Club at Reynolds Plantation.  They have spent their time together traveling for charity work, around the world with Cru Ministries.  Doug and Jeanne were truly help mates as well as best friends and looked for ways to serve the Lord together. Doug loved radio work and started Community Spotlight on Dock 103.9 interviewing local people in the area. Doug and Jeanne together created “Hometown Heroes” in the fall of 2020. They raised over $31,000.00 to give every Policeman, Firefighter, EMT, 911 dispatchers, Sheriffs Dept, a $100.00 Gift Certificate to local restaurants for a night out. This also helped local businesses who were struggling during the start of Covid. Doug and Jeanne also ran fund raiser golf tournaments for “Atlas Ministries” for 10 years. They raised enough monies to build a great facility for local children to thrive and learn in a Christian environment and provided a playground for Atlas. Doug was truly an Ambassador for Jesus Christ! 

Doug and Jeanne attended Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church in Eatonton, Ga, and Grace Fellowship in Greensboro, Ga.

In addition to his wife Jeanne of Greensboro, Ga he is survived by two daughters, Megan Linn and husband Mark of Florida, and Michelle Keiper and husband Darrin of Iowa, son, Ryan D. Hesse and wife Urfa, and 7 grandchildren, along with wonderful Christian friends and Missionaries around the world. 

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church, 113 Scott Road, Eatonton, Ga 30642 with Pastor Jeff Birch, Dr. Jimmy Long and Dr. Joe King officiating. Memorials may be made to Atlas Ministries, 1560 S. Main Street, Greensboro, Ga 30642, Cru Ministries, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Orlando, Fl 32832, Greensboro Police Dept, Sheriff’s Dept ­­- Greensboro, Ga. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, Ga, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. The guest register can be signed at  www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com.

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