John Edward Hedges

DECLO – John Edward Hedges, 82, of Declo, passed away Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, at his home.

John was born in Akron, Ohio, December 9, 1934, the third of three sons born to Frank Nelson Hedges and Ada Mae Long. When John was ten years old, the family moved from Ohio to Golden, Colorado. On April 11, 1959, John married Evelyn Louise Leedy in Golden, Colorado.

John was an excellent marksman, which is what he was assigned to do after being drafted into the U.S. Army. He was also a great carpenter and a real craftsman who specialized in finish work. For many years, he built custom homes with Fuzz Vallette in Arizona and Nevada. Later in life he built miniature wagons, with the wheels being replicas of real, old-fashioned wagon wheels.

He loved fishing and hunting and riding horses. He was an avid archery hunter and shot a bull elk with his bow and arrow when he lived in Eagle, Colorado, which was something he was proud of.

After John had a major heart attack in 1985, he and Evelyn served a mission to the Rose Bud Indian reservation in South Dakota for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also served as a temple worker in the Logan Utah LDS Temple for five-and-a-half years.

John is survived by his wife of 58 years, Evelyn; children, William Jay Hedges, Douglas Ray Hedges, and Leslie Vern Hedges; and his brothers, Howard Richard Hedges of Denver, Colo.; and Ronald Hedges of Petaluma, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his nephews, David Dean Hedges, and David’s son, David Nelson Richard Hedges; as well a his grandfather, Harry Howard Hedges, who died in France in WWI.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 12, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Declo LDS Stake Center, 213 W. Main, in Declo, with Bishop Dale Darrington officiating. A visitation will take place at the church from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service. Burial will follow at the Declo Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.