Senator H. Kay Hedge

1928 - 2016

Senator H. Kay Hedge

Fremont

H. Kay Hedge, age 88 of Fremont, died October 28, 2016 at the Hospice House of Wapello County. He was born April 2, 1928, in Mahaska County, the Son of Harry K. and Ava Blair Hedge. He attended Shiloh Country School and graduated from Fremont High School in 1946. Kay attended the University of Iowa. He served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. Kay was united in marriage to Alleen Ruggles on July 15, 1951 in Fremont, IA. To this union three children were born, Kimberly, Kevin, and Mark. In 1953, he received his honorable discharge from the Army and returned to Fremont. He started farming with his father on the family farm. Kay has raised cattle, pigs, corn, and soybeans for over fifty years on the family farm, a farming heritage that has continued with the next generation. Kay was very involved with the Fremont community and surrounding area; he gave selflessly of his time and talents to improve and maintain quality of life in southern Mahaska County and across the state of Iowa. He served in many capacities for the following organizations, Fremont School Board, Mahaska County School Board, and Mahaska County Farm Bureau to name a few. In 1988, Kay was elected to the Iowa Senate, he served three consecutive terms retiring in 2001. He was a very active member of the Fremont United Methodist Church where he served in various leadership roles, several agriculture related commodity groups and associations, and the Hedrick American Legion. He served as a trustee for the Navy Warner-Arganbright Scholarship Committee. Kay enjoyed the outdoors, especially being on the farm and tending to his cattle. He delighted in spending time with his family and was proud of each one of them. He and Alleen spent many evenings and weekends on the road to attend various activities of children and grandchildren. He will be remembered as a quiet leader, who helped with many projects.

His family includes his wife of over 65 years Alleen Hedge of Fremont; a daughter and her husband, Dr. Kimberly and Charles Brown of Ottumwa; two sons and their wives, Kevin and Jane Hedge of Ottumwa and Mark and Cindy Hedge of Fremont; eight grandchildren, Danielle (Gil) Wukitsch, Melissa (Dr. Michael) Nguyen, Dr. Kirsten (Dr. Scott) Radke, Arielle Brown, Kelsey (Bryan) Henderson, Hayden (Jennifer) Hedge, Hannah Hedge, and Sean Hedge; five great grandchildren, Ava Wukitsch, Grant Wukitsch, Cora Nguyen, Iris Nguyen, and Blair Henderson; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Rex Hedge; and two sisters, Mary E. Hedge and Dorothy Tungate.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 5, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. in the Fremont United Methodist Church in Fremont with Reverend Bob Voels officiating. Burial will be in the Cedar Township Memorial Cemetery in Fremont. The Fremont Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Friday after 10 a.m. in the Fremont United Methodist Church in Fremont with the family present at the church from 5-8 Friday evening to greet friends and relatives. Memorial may be made to the Kay Hedge Memorial Fund and will be used to benefit the Fremont United Methodist Church, Fremont High School Alumni Banquet Scholarship and Wapello Hospice.