Pauline E. Bess, daughter of the late Oma Nelson and Frank and Louella Gunter, was born on August 3, 1924 in Advance and departed this life on April 14, 2015 at Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico at the age of 90.

Mrs. Bess was a member of the Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau and a resident of Cape Girardeau. 

She graduated from Advance High School and worked as a homemaker for most of her life, helping her late husband in the Bess Grain Company at harvest time.  In her middle life, she started playing golf and rapidly improved her game, playing mostly in championship flights and very often winning.  She and her husband spent most winters in Tampa, Florida.

On May 30, 1942, she was united in marriage to Jack Bess.  Mr. Bess preceded her in death on June 8, 2014.

She is survived by four grandchildren, Todd Bess of Poplar Bluff, Cindy Martin and her husband Randy of Puxico, Ashley Bess of St. Louis, Missouri and Bami Parsons of Clearwater, Florida; and by two great-grandchildren, Jarrett Martin of Puxico and Jacie Parsons of Clearwater, Florida.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Warren “Jerry” Bess.

Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. 

Funeral services will be conducted in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. with Rev. Mark Anderson officiating. 

Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that all memorials be made to the Southeast Missouri Foundation, Attention Greg Adkins, 1 University Plaza, MS 7300, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701.  In the memo line of check, the donor needs to write, Jack and Pauline Bess Scholarship.