About Me

This is the only family portrait we went somewhere and had made, Mommy tried many times to get it done and finally got us all to agree to get this one.  This was probably taken in the mid 1980's.  

That is me, front and center, my given name is Bertha Fay Hess, I was named after my Grandmother, on my Mommy's side, Bertha Varney Ward and after my Aunt Fay Ward Slone, Mommy's older sister.  Fay is the name I go by and the name most people know me by.  My Grandma went by Berthie.

I was the first born of Eddie Dean Hess and Stella Ward Hess.  Then eighteen months later my brother, James "Dean" Hess was born, he is the one standing behind Daddy.  Then eight years after I was born my baby brother (next to Dean) was born, Chester Lee Hess.  That's my Mommy and Daddy behind me, Stella and Eddie Dean.

I've lived most of my life here on Alice Road in Vinton, Ohio (which is in Gallia County not Vinton County.)  My husband, Charles Edward Kinner II, likes to tease that my roots are dug so deep into this place that nobody could ever pry them loose — and he might be right. I enjoy visiting other places, but this will always be Home!

I married Ed — that's what I call him — in 2008, and I love him dearly. We were both married before and each had children from those marriages. My children are Roger Keith Stout II and Leah Deanna Stout. Ed's sons are Charles "Trey" Edward Kinner III and Taylor Andrew Kinner.

We're blessed with two grandsons and two granddaughters, Colton James Stout, Riley Grace Kinner, Louella Rey Stout and Koda Briar Kinner. They have us wrapped around their little fingers. I'm Grandma, and Ed is Pop or Pop Pop. There is nothing in the world like grandchildren.

I'm a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, I love the energy and speed of NASCAR, and I always cheer for Ohio State football and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I also enjoy reading and crossword puzzles, and I love relaxing and jamming to music. 

And finally — the reason you're here — I love learning, especially when it comes to my family history. I believe you're never too old to learn something new. Most people don't like change, but I do. Maybe that's the Gemini in me, or maybe it's just the adventurous side. Change is part of life; it's always happening. But one thing we can't change is history. People1 say you can rewrite history, but I think you can only add more facts and insight.

It saddens me that some history gets lost because no one documented it or passed it down. If I can preserve these stories for my children and their children, then the memory of their ancestors will stay alive — and that's important to me. I loved my grandparents dearly, as many of us do. There's nothing like the bond between grandparents and grandchildren. I carry my grandparents in my heart, and as a Christian, I'm comforted knowing we will be reunited again someday.

My Christian faith is an important part of my life, and it guides the way I see family, history, and the world around me. I enjoy reading Scripture with the Bible app I use every day to stay grounded and connected. If you'd like to explore it yourself, you can find it at YouVersion — just click the Bible icon below to get started.