Paul Hees

Paul Stanley Hees, 72, of Vienna, Virginia passed away on July 29, 2024.
He was born on May 2, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio to Walter and Angela Hees.

Paul was born the second eldest of six children. His parents provided him with many opportunities to learn and grow, and he excelled at all of them. He accrued countless medals competing in figure skating and was awarded the local Father Ray academic scholarship to attend Jesuit high school. His time with the boy scouts fostered his appreciation of the outdoors, and he often led his younger brothers on wildlife adventures. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, when asked what he wanted to do for work when he grows up, Paul off-handedly told his parents he’d like to work with new technology in the medical field.

As a young man, Paul traveled the world on motorcycle gathering life experiences and an encyclopedic knowledge of languages and culture. Those free-spirited years shaped much of how he viewed life and the importance of following one’s passions. He applied his new perspective to the seeds planted during his upbringing and he returned to school to pursue a Ph.D in biomedical engineering.He would go on to accept a cardiovascular researcher role at Johns Hopkins, where he spent the remainder of his career. His life’s work was dedicated to contributing knowledge to the field of cardiovascular imaging, and he served as an educator for cardiologists all over the world.

Paul met his wife Jing while they were both studying for their doctoral degrees. They shared the dream of having children to complete their family. Their son Eric was born first, and their daughter Shannon followed a few years later.

Paul and Jing fell in love with Vienna, Virginia and decided to raise their children there. While this home was where he laid roots, he continued to share his love of travel with his family, taking them abroad each spring break and using his medical conferences as an opportunity to show them the world. He loved gathering friends and family over a delicious meal and free-flowing conversation. Although he, his parents, and his siblings spread out across the country, he cherished any occasion to bring their families together, whether it was holidays, life milestones, or any happenstance in between.

Paul filled his days with planning future travels, conversing with dogs, singing the parts of songs he remembered, watching the bears at Katmai National Park, and spoiling his loved ones with the perfect cup of coffee. His natural curiosity and enthusiasm led him through a life full of exploration, learning, and sharing his interests and innovations with others.

Paul is survived by his wife Jing and his children Eric and Shannon.
He is also survived by his sister Peggy; brothers David, James, and William; and his nephews and nieces: Julie Hees, Matthew and Kate Patterson, and Eli and Haley Graham.
He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Angela, and his sister Joan.

Memorials may be made to the Johns Hopkins Heart and Vascular Institute’s Fund for Cardiology Research or the National Park Foundation