Ad
Zora Getmansky Hesse Zora Getmansky Hesse, beloved wife,
Zora Getmansky Hesse Zora Getmansky Hesse, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on May 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. A long-time resident of Albuquerque, Zora was deeply involved in a wide spectrum of New Mexico and national politics. From 1973 to 1981, Zora served as New Mexico's Democratic National Committeewoman. Among other engagements, she held seats on the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission and the Bernalillo County Environmental Planning Commission. A volunteer at local animal shelters, Zora was never happier than when surrounded by her many dogs. In 2011, her decades-long support for animal welfare was honored with the Milagro Award for advocacy by Animal Protection New Mexico. Beyond her civic work, various part-time positions, and raising three children, Zora wrote the Southwestern Indian Recipe Book, featuring traditional recipes from the Apache, Papago, Pima, and Navajo nations. Born and raised in New York City, Zora was the only child of Samuel and Zina Getmansky. She earned a BA and a master's degree in anthropology from Syracuse University. In the mid-1950s, Zora moved to Sacaton, Arizona, in the Gila River Indian Community with her new husband, who had just enlisted in the US Public Health Service. In 1960, the family relocated to Shiprock on the Navajo Nation, and a couple of years later to Albuquerque, where they lived for more than five decades. Zora is survived by her husband, Dr. Frank Hesse; her children and their partners, David and Deborah (Kirsch) Hesse, New Haven, CT; Debby (Hesse) and Joel Friedman, Bethesda, MD; Teva and Bitten (Jorgensen) Hesse, London, England; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
