Zella Mae Hedick

Zella Mae Hedick passed away peacefully in Trenton, Florida, on February 24, 2018, a few days before her 90th birthday. Zella Mae Sims was born on March 1, 1928, in Buffalo, NY. The family moved to Alva, FL, for a few years before settling in Brooksville, Florida. There she grew up, met her future husband, and graduated from high school. Zella Mae and James Monroe Hedick were married on July 5, 1947, in Ft. Myers, FL. Soon thereafter, the young couple settled in Gainesville where they shared 60 years of marriage, raised two sons and two daughters, and devoted their lives to God. For decades, she and Monroe served several Baptist churches in Gainesville, including a number of years preparing Wednesday Night Suppers at Westside Baptist Church. Zella Mae worked at the First National Bank of Gainesville for about 40 years, where she enjoyed the friendship of colleagues and customers alike. Zella Mae and Monroe, who preceded her in death in 2008, sacrificed greatly for their children, who remain their living legacy. They taught by example: daily home-cooked dinners together, church and Sunday suppers, and days spent on Little Swan Lake, where she cooked up perfect fried chicken for family and friends and watched everyone learn to water ski. Once the kids were grown and married, everyone continued to gather together for July 4th weekends at the Hedick’s cottage in Suwannee for scalloping, fish fries, puzzles, games, and fellowship. Zella Mae loved music, told funny stories, and laughed heartily. In later years, she and Monroe spent summers in NC, caught salmon in Alaska, and enjoyed a month exploring the gardens, castles, and festivals of Germany, Paris, and Amsterdam. Zella Mae is survived by James Melville Hedick III and wife Kathy of Dadeville, AL; Patricia Ann Quimby and husband Hugh of Tampa; Jane Marie Knuth and husband Tom of Archer; and Donald William Hedick and wife Eileen of Brunswick, GA. She will also be missed by 7 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren. The family will celebrate her life at the Lake Lindsey Cemetery in Brooksville, where generations of Hedicks have been laid to rest. Those who may wish to remember Zella Mae, may make a donation to Al’z Place, eldercare.ufhealth.org, in Gainesville.

Zella Mae Hedick

March 1, 1928 - February 24, 2018