Ms. Hes obtained her primary education at Ebenezer Primary School after which one of her older sisters Cherrie paid for her to attend the all-girls St. Hilda’s College, becoming the first and only of her siblings to attend and complete high school in 1956.

The obviously gifted Hester Longsworth was quickly recruited into the teaching profession by the Methodist management who first placed her at Wesley Methodist Middle School on Albert St. before transferring her to the Silk Grass Methodist Primary School.  Her siblings recall that Ms. Hes always wanted to be a teacher.  So great was her yearning that as a child she would often be seen in the yard talking sternly to the trees pretending them to be her students, even issuing the occasional reprimand or whipping. 

After two years in Silk Grass, Ms. Hes sought to enhance her teaching skills by enrolling at the Belize Teachers College where she was classmate with the now legendary politico Florencio Marin and Hubert Elrington.

After earning her teaching diploma, Ms. Hes went to teach at Wesley Methodist Upper School.  By that time, her family had moved to #15 Pine Street when and where she met and fell in love with her next door neighbor Fredrick Thimbriel, who at the time was working on the survey team of the famous Henry Fairweather.

The two married in the summer of 1968 with their first born Paul Patrick Ortis Thimbriel coming in December of that same year.  Four years later, the middle offspring of three, Juliet Sheree Thimbriel, was born, followed in 1974 by Sheldon Sean Thimbriel.  All this time, Ms. Hes continued to teach at Wesley Methodist Upper School until 1978 when she won herself a scholarship to study home economics for one year at East Sussex College of Higher Education in London, England. 

Upon her return to Belize in 1979, Ms. Hes was offered a job by the then Principal Marie Hoare of Belize Junior Secondary School #1 now known as Edward P. Yorke High School.  This is where Ms. Hes would settle in her teaching career working first as an assistant to Mrs. Matilda Tench, eventually taking over the Home Economics Department upon the retirement of Mrs. Tench.  During her time at E. P. Yorke, Ms. Hes completed numerous training in home economics at various U.S. institutions including in Oklahoma in 1983, St. Louis in 1989 and Wisconsin in 1991.

Ms. Hes retired from teaching in 1999 after which the home economics building at E. P. Yorke was named in her honor in recognition of her valuable years of service to the school and its students.  In 2001 she was recognized by the Ministry of Education for distinguished and dedicated service to the teaching profession.  Ms. Hes continued her involvement in education way pass her retirement, correcting examination papers serving as a moderator for home economics for the Caribbean Examinations Council.  She was recognized by CXC in 2007 for her many years of distinguished service.

Her passion for cooking also continued beyond retirement as she successfully completed a course in international cuisine in 2001 and a course in fruit juice and jam processing in 2002.  She also continued serving the youths and women of Belize after retirement teaching home economics for the YWCA and her E.P. Yorke High, and needle work and cake decorating for the Women’s Department, until her failing eye sight prevented her from doing more.  

Throughout her life, Ms. Hes remained a rabid supporter of the United Democratic Party which is how I met Ms. Hes and became family and friend to her and her daughter Senator Thimbriel.  In 1995 then Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel was looking for an honest and loyal Party supporter to join myself and Sylvia Cattouse on the Economic Citizenship Committee which would be responsible for the disbursement of millions from the citizenship program.  Hon. Faith Babb recommended Ms. Hes and thus began our friendship.

They come no simpler than Ms. Hes.  Open, frank and outspoken, kind, gentle and caring all wrapped up in one.  Ms. Hes made friends with the simplest of persons and preferred the company of the most common.  She held firm convictions and never hesitated to voice her opinion.  We are all the richer for having known her and her joyous memory will live in our hearts forever.

Ms. Hes went on to her eternal rest on January 2, 2010.

Goodbye Ms. Hes.

May your soul rest in peace.