A legacy of love: Sons follow in late fathers’ footsteps at Holy Spirit festival

Holy Spirit parishioners Christopher Hess, left, and Justin Lawrence of Indianapolis pose for a photograph on July 9 at the parish festival. They helped three other men organize the summer festival this year in memory of their fathers, Richard “Dick” Hess and Donald “Rex” Lawrence, the longtime festival chairman and assistant chairman, who died earlier this year. Holy Spirit’s festival, which dates back to 1948 as a small event, was expanded in 1954 and continues to grow larger each year. This year’s festival attracted 10,000 people. (Photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mary Ann Wyand

“Honor your father.”

Two grieving young adult sons from Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis took Christ’s teaching in the Gospel of Matthew to heart during the months after their fathers died by helping coordinate the annual summer festival on July 9-11 in their memory.

Jesus told the faithful to “honor your father and mother, and ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Mt 19:19).

That’s exactly what parishioners Christopher Hess, 27, and Justin Lawrence, 28, of Indianapolis did when they took over their late fathers’ longtime volunteer positions on the committee for the popular east side festival, which attracts thousands of people with its tasty foods and amusement park rides every July.

Richard “Dick” Hess, who died on Jan. 20 after a lengthy illness, served on the parish festival committee for 31 years and as chairman for 23 years.

Donald “Rex” Lawrence, who died on May 5 after suffering a heart attack, helped Dick Hess coordinate the festival for 19 years and served as the chairman for eight years.

Their deaths left a huge void on the festival committee so their sons scheduled vacation time to help carry on this family volunteer tradition.

A large banner displayed at the festival read “Hesstival Rexfest—In Memory of Dick Hess and Rex Lawrence.”

Their sons and other committee members wore special T-shirts decorated with a drawing of the men looking down at the festival from heaven.

Father Joseph Riedman, Holy Spirit’s pastor from 1993 until July 1 of this year, knows how much volunteer work it takes to present a parish festival every summer. He also supervised another large festival as pastor of Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood from 1980 until 1993.

“In spite of their grief, they stepped forward to help with the festival,” Father Riedman said of the sons. “This was a way to honor their fathers, and they helped out admirably. I think they’ll be helping again next year. We have to pass the [volunteer] baton to younger generations.”

Holy Spirit’s annual fundraiser is “a fun time,” Father Riedman said, because so many people gather there to see friends and enjoy the festivities during this east side “reunion.”

Festival-goers on July 9 included Msgr. Paul Koetter, Holy Spirit’s new pastor, and Father Christopher Wadelton, newly ordained and beginning his first assignment as associate pastor, who greeted people and tried to remember their names. Father Patrick Beidelman, a son of the parish who recently returned home after completing graduate studies in Rome, was also there to see old friends and buy some of the famous brownies.

This year, parishioners David Day, Ryan Soultz and Dave Andress of Indianapolis worked with Chris Hess and Justin Lawrence as a new generation of festival co-chairmen.

“There is such a void in knowing that Dick, Rex and John Edson, who passed away unexpectedly in 2006, will not be working together at the Holy Spirit festival this year,” said Marilyn Hess, Dick’s widow. “During the week of the festival, they could often be found working or resting in the [parish] garage, a kind of command central for festival chairmen and workers. … Tired as they were, there would often be an atmosphere of humorous bantering fueled by the relationships formed and the stories accumulated over many years of working together at this parish event.”

She is happy and grateful that these five men stepped up to help organize the festival, which brings joy to so many people while raising much-needed funds for the parish.

“Dick, Rex and John were a part of the [festival] story,” Marilyn Hess said, “and the story has been forever changed. … It takes a kind of courage for these young people to take on the responsibilities of this event in the midst of their grief. They are aware every step of the way of who is missing, but find comfort in knowing they are making a contribution in their memory.”

Kathy Lawrence, Rex’s widow, helped drive the shuttle bus and assisted with other duties this year because “the festival was something he loved so much.”

She said Justin, Chris and their siblings grew up helping their fathers with festival chores every summer.

“Rex and Dick really felt it was a labor of love being in charge of the festival,” she said, and they included their families in this year-round volunteer project.

In recent years, she said, many Hispanic parishioners have helped construct booths and cook Mexican food.

“It has been the biggest fundraiser we have for the parish,” Kathy Lawrence said. “It’s a huge undertaking, but it would be difficult to do a lot of things at the parish without the festival income. For me, the festival was therapeutic, but it was also very difficult. This year was a fresh start, and we need many young people to help make the festival a success.”

A former Marine, Justin Lawrence now serves the community as an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer.

“My dad’s death was very sudden,” Justin Lawrence said. “He was very involved in preparations for the festival at the time of his death. He loved it. Every year since I can remember, Chris [Hess] and I would be here helping our dads with the festival. It was our thing to do together. I was born and raised to do this, and it’s an honor to do it.”

Holy Spirit’s festival was started by parishioners more than 50 years ago, he said. “In three days, we’ll net an average of $100,000 for this parish so this is by far the biggest fundraiser. … It’s time for our generation to start doing the [volunteer] work for the parish and for the faith.”

Dick Hess, Rex Lawrence and John Edson left behind a legacy of love and hard work, committee member Ryan Soultz explained. “I think it speaks volumes about their commitment to their parish and commitment to their faith.

“Chris made the comment that we have our own family and our parish festival family,” Soultz said. “There are a lot of second- and third-generation folks involved in helping with the festival, and we have done a good job in making this a family friendly event.”

As soon as a festival ends, Chris Hess said, work begins on next year’s event.

“I just really hope that we made them proud of us for what we’re doing here,” he said, “and that we have a banner year in their memory.” †