Roll Call Tribute

Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service obituary
1222 Morgan Ave.
Corpus Christi, Texas 78404
Phone: 361-884-2411
Fax: 361-888-6831

Jerald Hedrick
December 15, 2009

Jerry W. Hedrick, age 78, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 15, 2009, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

He and Joanne (Schmidt), his wife of 56 years, were visiting their daughter and her family in Forest Hill, Maryland.

Early Sunday evening, Jerry was found unconscious and immediately rushed to a local hospital. While still critical, once stabilized, he was transported by helicopter to Johns Hopkins Neuroscience Critical Care Unit where it was determined that Jerry had suffered a brain stem hemorrhage. Despite receiving the most advanced medical care in the world, and because the bleeding was so severe coupled with an inoperable location, Jerry was unable to survive without artificial support.

He was surrounded by his wife and four children at the time of his death.

Jerry Hedrick was born on September 12, 1931, in Kingsville, Texas. He was preceded in death by his father James O. Hedrick and mother Alta Lorine Hardy Hedrick, both of Corpus Christi. Jerry received all of his public schooling in Corpus Christi and was a graduate of one of the final classes of Corpus Christi High School. Jerry attended Del Mar College, receiving his Associate Degree, before continuing on to Texas A & I University, where he earned his B.S. degree in Industrial Arts in 1961. He received a National Education Defense Act Title IV fellowship to attend Texas A & M University at College Station, where he earned his M.S. in Industrial Education in 1965. During that time, Jerry also completed audio visual communication studies at Indiana University.

Jerry Hedrick taught industrial arts at Hamlin Junior High School before joining the Texas A & I University faculty in 1965 as an assistant professor of industrial technology. Later in 1977, he was named associate professor and department chair in the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering. Jerry retired in May, 1991.

Among his many accomplishments at Texas A & I, he developed the Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology. He chaired the committee for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree. He earned the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Industrial Arts Association, Outstanding Educator of America Award, the Meritorious Service Award from the College of Teacher Education, and the AIAA Service Award.

Jerry was proud to serve his community at the Village of Pernitas Point (Lake Corpus Christi) as an alderman and later as mayor.

Those of us fortunate enough to have had a relationship with Jerry Hedrick know that he was a fine, faithful Christian man. He was an active member of the Methodist Church all of his life. As a young boy, he achieved the highest level in the Boy Scouts of America, becoming an Eagle Scout. Jerry was very visible and active in the church: choir participation; facilitating and teaching Sunday school and Bible study classes; serving on a variety of church committees; traveling on missionary trips to Progresso, Mexico; designing, constructing, and donating the communion kneeling rails still used in the contemporary service in Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church; and ushering during church services. For all of his good earthly works Jerry was awarded the Discipleship Award by First United Methodist Church.

Jerry Hedrick was a loving and caring husband and father of four children: Jerald William, Jr. (Tonya Alewine); Joseph Charles (Jane Watson); James O., III (Dana Coulter); and Jennifer Joanne Amanda Hedrick Riedel (Dr. Stefan Riedel). He was grandfather of six: Erinn and Anthony Hedrick; Austin and Ashley Hedrick; and Avery and Arabella Riedel. He is survived by his sister Peggy Hedrick Littell (Art) of Houston, Texas, and his identical twin brother, James O. Hedrick, Jr. (Ann Parks) of Cuero, Texas.

A Memorial Service will be held honoring Jerry Hedrick’s life on Tuesday, December 22, 2009, at 2:00 P.M., in the sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, 900 South Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi, Texas 78401. Jerry will be interred in the church columbarium.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Vinson Morris Children’s Center at the First United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Published in Texas Aggie magazine Silver Taps May-June 2010

Jerald W. 'Jerry' Hedrick '69, 78, of Sandia (formerly of Kingsville and Corpus Christi) died Dec. 15, 2009, of a brain stem hemorrhage while visiting his daughter. He taught industrial arts at Hamlin Junior High School before joining Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) in 1965 as an assistant professor of industrial technology. In 1977, he was named associate professor and department chair in the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering. He developed the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology degree at A&I. He retired in 1991. His awards include the Outstanding Educator of America Award. He served as mayor of the Village of Pernitas Point. He was an Eagle Scout. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Joanne; three sons; a daughter; six grandchildren; his identical twin brother; and a sister.

Read More: http://obits.caller.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewobit&ID=69918