Tom Hedges

Dan Hampton

Very sad to hear this news. Many fond memories of going with Tom to his grandparents estate which had a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a guest house. We would hike by walking through the old trolley line which was off of Sinclair Avenue, extending through 34 street toward East Post road. Tom was in my homeroom at Franklin, along with Jim Hamer and Jeff Harper. He left for Deerfield after 8th. grade.Tom had a thing for snakes and had a Boa Constrictor as a pet. I remember it getting away inside their home on Linden and it wasn't found for eight months. That drove his mom crazy. He was at our '97 (30th) reunion and it was great catching up. That was the same year Ken Bastian attended one of our reunions. He and Tom were best friends. Ken died in a car accident after the reunion. 

John Van Pelt

I remember Tom very well from Franklin.  He was a nice guy and always had a smile, very pleasant.  Tom came to our Franklin Spanish class once to talk about his family's trip to several countries.  He had a competitive side as well.  I played defense sometimes during 8th grade football practices across from Tom and Jim Hamer playing halfback.  It was intense but fun.  Fond memories.  

Mark L. Shepard

This is a real blow. Tom was my best friend all through grade school and Jr. high, even though he went to Franklin and I to McKinley. A great guy, gone too soon.

Dan Hampton

John Van Pelt brought up an issue that I had totally forgot about until he mentioned it. In 8th grade, Tom and his grandparents took a world wide trip that lasted, if memory serves, around 6-8 weeks. They practically went to every continent on earth. I had a copy of the their schedule (still wish I had it), and in speech class we would track his whereabouts, as each stop was listed daily. It was almost like being with them. They went to Europe, Africa, India, and Asia. It was really something. That must have been quite an experience for a 13yr. old kid.

Randolph "Randy" Lyon

So sad to hear about Tom!  I remember him from country club activities more than school.  We were both in dance lessons so that we knew one foot from the other. You got pretty good counting down the line of girls and placing yourself in a position to dance with someone you liked as the lines merged and you were paired with someone for the class.   Tom had a great sense of humor at these times.  I remember him as quite a golfer too.  Mark Troxell, Tom and I ran around a bit in late elementary school.  He was a great guy and I counted him as a good friend.

Dennis K. Dochterman

Tom Hedges was a modest, soft spoken guy who displayed a quiet intelligence and personal dignity of being which deeply impressed me during our brief friendship in childhood. Tom admired my pencil drawings, and we often enjoyed talking about the things that boys our age liked to talk about. We flew our gas powered model airplanes together on top of the grassy underground reservoir at Bever Park.  We explored the timber along Indian Creek and walked the CRANDIC right of way. We rode bikes around town.  Invited to the Hedge's elegant, Grant Wood decorated Colonial Revival home, I met his mom, who graciously served us cookies and lemonade. Separated as we were by our widely differing socioeconomic backgrounds, Tom and I had easily maintained a mutual respect for one another as two kids growing up in Cedar Rapids. Yet, as the standout student Tom became at WHS, I knew he would move on to bigger and better things in life, and we would inevitably part ways, as so often happens with childhood friends. Now I can only wish I'd somehow stayed in touch with Tom. 

Nan Hirleman (Aalborg)

Tom was such a great person even when we were all geeks in Junior High. Even then, when I met him in 7th grade at Franklin, and at that young age, he was warm and respectful to everyone. He was so kind and fun with people. We sat next to each other (Hedges, Hirleman) in 7th grade English (was anybody else in that class; I'm trying to remember the name of that teacher; was it Mrs. Hammond?), and we whispered and passed notes to each other. I still remember the cool way he'd "raise his hand" in that class -- he'd have his sharpened pencil in his hand and then lift his pencil off the desk in the direction of our teacher, who would always call on him. That gesture really fit him, because when the rest of us were still blowing our noses on our sweater sleeves, he had a wonderful style and charm about him that fit him so well. I got to know Tom later in life as well, and it was great to talk with him. I wish his family my warmest thoughts. I'm sorry that his passing came so soon.

Jacqueline "Jacque" Cook

I too share in the loss of Tommy Hedges. As a neighbor and as a classmate at Johnson and Franklin, I have many memories. I can still picture his drawing of mountains when he returned from a trip to Colorado. I think it hung on the wall in our art class for the entire year. My last conversation was about his documentaries. He did some great work that captured the beauty and stories of Iowa. We even explored doing an oral history project together. It’s hard to think that our many conversations won’t be continued.

Molly Erdman (Martin)

Jacque, I am so glad that you mentioned Tom’s mountain drawing. Our class made a mosaic from that drawing. I remember it vividly, especially the purple hues of the mountains. We were all blessed to have had Tom’s unique presence and influence in our childhoods. 

Francie Dixon (Martin)

this is so sad.   I remember so much of what my class mates remember in grade school how cute he was and handsome he became.  The best memory of grade school was when his grandmother  (Billie Stamats) took him out of school for what was a long time to go on a trip around the world.  Tom sent letters back to the class so we could share his trip.  It was amazing for all of us.  

Such a great guy and a great neighbor , like Nan shared I remember all those "cops and robbers" etc. in the neighbor hood..... we were all so much better for knowing Tom.   BLess him