Daytonian, world-renowned sculptor dies at 98

A world-renowned artist and sculptor from the Miami Valley has passed away.

>>Thousands in grant money awarded to Miami Valley arts organizations

Virginia Krause Hess, 98, died Tuesday at Sycamore Springs Rehab Facility in Miamisburg. She was born and raised in New Carlisle and lived her entire life in Western Ohio, according to her obituary.

Her education began at the age of 11 with a scholarship to attend the Dayton Art Institute and continued through high school in New Carlisle.

Hess worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base starting at the age of 16 as an illustrator and produced numerous airplane silhouettes of both foreign and domestic aircraft for identification purposes during World War II.

She was awarded the Ohioana for the Field of Arts in 1994 for her dedication as a teacher, sculptor, and painter.

Hess has 29 bronze busts of Charlie Taylor, the first aeronautical mechanic who worked for the Wright Brothers on public display throughout the world. This includes Carillon Park, Wright State University, and The National Museum of the United State Air Force in the Dayton area.

She married Fredrick Hess in 1946 and raised three children, her obituary said.

They each owned and ran hardware stores in the Dayton area, including Hess Hardware Do-It Center. Her husband passed away in 2006.

Her memorial service will take place on Election Day, November 7, according to her obituary said.

In lieu of flowers, the Hess family is asking everyone to purchase and enjoy art or donate in her name to the Dayton Art Institute, Springfield Museum of Art, the Rosewood Art Center through Kettering Parks Foundation, or Wright State University.