Don “Gene” Hedrick, 82, of Galesburg, Illinois, died peacefully at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at Knox County Nursing Home, Knoxville, Illinois.
Gene was born on March 9, 1942, in Galesburg, the son of Evelyn M. (Stegall) and Don C Hedrick. Gene joined the US Navy in October 14, 1964. He was honorably discharged on October 24, 1966. On February 1, 1964, Gene was united in marriage to Beatric K. Redington at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Galesburg. Their marriage brought five children, all of whom survive, Brian (Candi) Hedrick of Victoria, Illinois, William Hedrick of Galesburg, Rose Hedrick of Galesburg, Jennifer (Daron) Deen of Imperial, Missouri, and Jill (Todd) Lubkeman of Bristol, Wisconsin. Gene is also survived by his beloved seven grandchildren, Grace and Sam Deen, Liam and Jake Lubkeman, Gene and Bailey Hedrick, and Trent Schmidt, as well as one brother, Floyd Hedrick of Frankfort, Indiana. Bea preceded Gene in death on March 13, 2013. Also preceded him in death were his parents and two sisters, Bonnie Goben and Jo Mitchell.
Gene worked as a pipe fitter for many years at Gates Rubber Company, retiring in 2005. Gene enjoyed being outdoors, from hunting, fishing, and camping, to tending to his flower gardens at home. He was an avid racecar fan and enjoyed participating in a good demolition derby. Gene was often called a jack of all trades, as no matter the problem, Gene seemed to know how to fix it.
The rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 14, 2024, at Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg, with visitation following from 10 a.m. to noon at the funeral home. Graveside services with military rites will be 12:30 p.m. Friday at St. Joseph Cemetery, Galesburg. A celebration of life will follow at Bar 65, 65 S. Cherry St., Galesburg, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Vincent DePaul Society or Corpus Christi Catholic Church along with mass offerings for Gene. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.watsontomas.com.
