Eric L. HEDSTROM

HEDSTROM - Eric L. Died at 92, on June 14, 2014, retired Vice President of Graphic Controls. A Memorial Service for Eric L. Hedstrom of 7377 Scotland Way, Apt 6211, Sarasota, FL 34238 will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, June 21, at The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, Sarasota, FL. Burial will be at a later date in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, NY. Born in Buffalo, NY in 1922, he attended Nichols School, graduated from Pomfret School and from Yale University as a chemical engineer. He served as a Captain in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Hedstrom joined Cooper Paper Box Corp., an old-line Buffalo company headed by his father, in 1947 and was elected president in 1956. The company was acquired in 1959 by Graphic Controls Corp. Hedstrom was elected secretary of Graphic Controls in 1970 and international vice president in 1980. He was also a director of its companies in Australia, Belgium, France, India, Mexico, United Kingdom and Venezuela. He was a director and Treasurer of the Buffalo Trade Association. After his retirement in 1983, Hedstrom assumed the presidency of America Works of Western NY. He was a former trustee of Hospice of Southwest Florida and a former officer and director of Plantation Community Foundation of Venice, FL, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, NY, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo, Episcopal Community Services of Western NY, Sister Elizabeth Kenny Foundation of Western NY, and Hedstrom-Spaulding Coal Company. He was also formerly Chairman of the Strategic Planning Council of Erie Community College and a Vestryman and Warden of St. Matthias Episcopal Church, East Aurora, NY. Always active in athletics, he participated in two National Squash Tournaments as a member of the Buffalo team, was a former member and treasurer of the Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club, a member of the East Aurora Country Club and a founding member of the Crag Burn Golf Club in East Aurora, Le Mirador Country Club of Vevey, Switzerland. Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Eloise H. Hedstrom, and three sons: Mitchell W. (Zoe Dyson) of Greenwich, CT, Gilbert S. (Margaret Halsema) of Concord, MA and Roger W. (Teresa Martineau) of Rowley, MA, and six grandchildren. His sister, Sonja H. Cooke, died in December 2004. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Tidewell Hospice & Palliative Care, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota FL 34238 or Plantation Community Foundation, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice, FL 34293.