Major Lee C. Hedley, USAF (ret.) Mansfield's Obituary
Major Leo C. Hedley, USAF (Ret.), passed away from heart failure on March 18, 2011 in Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, four days from his 82nd birthday. He was born in Dillard, Missouri, to Harry and Lucie Lorine Hedley, and graduated from Mountain Grove High School in the Class of 1947.
On September 3, 1950 he was united in marriage to Olive Hensley and to this union two children were born.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Agriculture from Southwest Missouri State College and was a member of the Gamma Beta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After graduation, Leo joined the United States Air Force as a Veterinary Specialist and was assigned to the Mobile, Alabama state docks to inspect seafood for the government. It was there that he perfected his well known boiled shrimp recipe. He, his wife and daughter were next reassigned to Adana, Turkey. While there, he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and was reassigned to Montgomery, Alabama, where his son was born. Subsequent reassignments took the family to Michigan, Lakenheath England, New Jersey, Dayton, Ohio and finally to their favorite assignment in Florida. He was first the Medical Supply Officer at Eglin Air Force Base Regional Hospital and at retirement in 1979, after 28 years of service, he was the Assistant Administrator for the hospital.
Leo then went on to work for Dynaelectron as the Supply Supervisor for the Elgin Photo Lab and had his second retirement in 1992 after working 5 years at the McKinley Climatic Lab. He could now concentrate on fishing and working on his beloved Corvairs.
Leo was preceded by his best friend and wife, Olive, on April 22, 1996; his older brother, Harry; his parents; two brothers-in-law, J.K. Peebles and J.C. Porterfield.
He is survived by his daughter, Sonja Hedley of Shalimar, Florida; a son, Col. Bart Hedley, USAF and his wife, Linda, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two grandchildren, Rebecca and Megan; sister, Ruth Peebles of Mtn. Home, Arkansas; two sisters-in-law, Peggy Hedley of Prosser, Washington, and Angie Porterfield of Springfield, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews in Missouri, Arkansas, Arizona and Washington State.
Leo was a loving father, grandfather, brother and uncle and a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate his life and accomplishments and will always cherish the many wonderful memories.
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