Else Paula Yelton Hess

Else was born January 7, 1935 in Manhattan, NY to Theodore Lescrinier and Paula Goller, both German immigrants.
An only child, she entered trade school as a teenager to become a beautician. While working as a Boarding Lady, she met her soon to be husband Eugene Yelton when she rented him a room. Else was accepted to nursing school right out of high school. She married Eugene the summer before starting nursing school. Unfortunately, when she requested her name be changed on the records due to her marriage, the director simply wished her well, and stated at that time they were not allowing men or married women into the program.
Her husband Eugene was in the US Coast Guard, and this gave her the chance to travel to a new city every two to three years. Else found this to be enjoyable, seeing so much of the United States.
Else attended Columbia Presbyterian School of Practical Nursing. She graduated September 22, 1972 with a Licensed Practical Nurse certification. Prior to graduation, Gene was being moved to a new station. For Else to be able to complete her education, she stayed at a convent while Gene started the move to Oklahoma. When he would visit Else they would have to stay in the kitchen to be chaperoned by the nuns.
In Oklahoma Else worked in the emergency room, and in the OR. She also had the chance to live on a farm in the boundary between Norman and Moore. The farm was owned by a doctor and Else and Gene were able to fix up the house and raise pigs and geese.
The next stop in her adventure was Indiana. She and her daughter Cheryl stayed at Else’s mother in laws home while in the process of the move to California. Here she had the chance to work in a nursing home.
In Alameda, California, Else worked in the OR of the San Francisco VA Hospital.
The final move for Else was to Utah when Gene retired from the Coast Guard. She was able to complete her education to become a Registered Nurse from Weber State University in 1985. Else was a nurse in the nursery at St. Marks Hospital, and then a NICU nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital. After retiring from Primary Children’s Hospital, Else went back to nursing in the recovery room at the University of Utah hospital. After retiring a second time, Else found she still missed nursing too much, and so she changed to traveling nursing.
Her last nursing assignment was at Fort Defiance Indian Hospital, a Navajo speaking hospital on a reservation in Arizona. At this final nursing location Else was in her mid-70’s. In 2004, while working at the University Hospital, Else was nominated for the Utah State Representative for Senior Workers. She spent a week in Washington, DC with a representative from each state.
In 1999, Else was diagnosed with breast cancer. As she started radiation and chemotherapy, Gene, her husband of 40 years, passed away.
Else met her current husband, Eldon Hess, in 2006. Having found love again, they were married June of 2007. Ever fearless, the honeymoon was by motorcycle. They traveled from Salt Lake City to New Jersey, pulling a little trailer behind the motorcycle camping at night all across the country. From New Jersey they went down to Florida and parked the bike in holding while they went on a cruise. From the cruise Else and Eldon traveled to Louisiana, through Texas, and back to Salt Lake City.
During the eight years they were married, a lot of traveling was done. Else went on cruises, went to Hawaii, and the Mediterranean.
She and Eldon were members of a motorcycle group called Temple Riders.
Else became a member of the LDS faith later in her life. After 4 years of marriage, Else was sealed in the LDS Temple to her husband Eldon. She was active in her church and conducted her calling at IMC hospital.
Else was always ready to help another, no matter the situation. Three years into her third battle with cancer, after seeing her 80th birthday, University graduations, her youngest great grand child’s first birthday and countless other memories, Else passed on knowing she is loved.
She is survived by her husband Eldon, her children Dave, Brian, and Cheryl; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great- grandchildren.