Penelope Hessen, 89

Penelope Hessen, 89, a longtime resident of the Island Club, died Saturday, June 21 at the Indian River Medical Center.

Mrs. Hessen moved to Vero Beach 28 years ago from Long Island, NY. She had been a member of the Vero Beach Bridge Center and was a tournament bridge champion.

Survivors include her son William Charles Vitolo of Vero Beach; daughter Florence Freed Hessen-Scher of Wellington, FL; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jules James Lawrence Hessen.

The family will receive friends 4-8 pm, Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home in Vero Beach with a memorial celebration at 7 pm. Mrs. Hessen will then be transferred to the Fairchild Funeral Home in Long Island for interment at Nassau Knolls Cemetery in Port Washington, NY.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.