Carl Jerome Hedberg

Carl Jerome Hedberg, Age 86, of Minneapolis, passed away peacefully on Aug 7, 2025. He was born in 1938 to a Swedish-American father, Carl Amos Hedberg and a Lebanese-American mother, Marie Effie (Henne) Hedberg. He was particularly close with his dad until he suddenly died when Carl was 10 years old. His aunt and uncle, Alice and Les Ogle, had no children and were able to spend extra time with him, creating a special bond. His mother worked hard to raise Carl as a single parent with the help of her large Lebanese family. She was proud of her son and the life he built. Carl met some of his closest friends in grade school, creating a lifetime of memories. In his youth, he played golf and built gas-powered model airplanes, earning a trip to Detroit where he won an award. He graduated from DeLaSalle High School in 1956. Carl was the first person in his family to go to college. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1960 with a degree in psychology and a minor in art. He landed a job at Honeywell and spent his career there. He ultimately retired as an executive in their Solid State Electronic Center, where he oversaw the production of some of the world's most advanced high-scale integrated circuits and packaging. He valued the friends he met while working in Minneapolis and Colorado Springs. In 1961, he married the love of his life, Eileen Sullivan Hedberg. They built a home in Golden Valley and raised four children: Brian (Lori), Joel (Karla), Anne Schmiechen (Dave) and Jennifer Norwood (Dwan). They knew everyone in the neighborhood and helped plan the annual block party, a highlight of summer. They enjoyed entertaining in their home and Carl specialized in cooking Lebanese food for their guests. Carl cherished cabin life. In 1968, he and Eileen purchased a lake lot in Richmond, MN and he spent countless evenings and weekends building his family's cabin by hand. That became their year-round, weekend oasis. The family boated, swam, water skied, fished, snowmobiled and spent time together. Carl was well known for his makeshift repairs at the cabin. When the kids were young, relatives from Omaha would visit. Nine kids and four adults would squeeze into a two-bedroom cabin and have a blast. Carl and Eileen hosted annual Fourth of July parties and made lasting friends and memories at the cabin. He also enjoyed the camaraderie of a shared adventure. That included annual fishing trips to Canada's Lake of the Woods. What originally started as a family trip with his closest friends and their families became a father-son outing as the years passed. The stories are epic and the bond between the families endured. In retirement, Carl and Eileen took trips abroad with their friends and wintered in Palm Desert, CA for more than 20 years. Countless holiday gatherings, pool parties, golf tournaments, bridal showers and baby showers were hosted by them. Gatherings with family or friends brought him immense joy, no matter the location. Carl was particularly proud of his children, eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild. His grandchildren include Chloe (Matt) Rasmussen, Grace Hedberg, Calvin Hedberg, Sophia (Teddy) Johnson, Gillian (Drew Stewart) Hedberg, Tessa Hedberg, Kate Schmiechen, Charlotte Norwood, Megan Schmiechen, Brady Schmiechen and Eileen Norwood. His great granddaughter is Quinn Rasmussen. He is preceded in death by his parents and several uncles, aunts, in-laws and cousins. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Eileen, their children and spouses, grandchildren, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends. Funeral services will be held on Mon., August 18, at St. Maron's Catholic Church, 600 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. The visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. Mass will be at 11:00 a.m., followed by lunch. Donations in Carl's memory may be made to St. Maron's Catholic Church.