Mary Hedrick

Mary Lee (nee Cobb) Hedrick, May 23, 1938 – June 24, 2022 was born at home and raised in Wilmore, Kansas. Her parents, Austin Lee and Mary Gertrude Cobb owned the local telephone company and Mary Lee ran the switchboard by the time she was four years old. She learned to count the number of times the second hand circled the clock so her mother could bill long distance calls. Lee and her little brother, Myrl David Cobb (b. 1942) grew up in a close-knit group of over 60 first cousins. She graduated from Wilmore High School in 1956 in a class of nine seniors, and often recalled how the class mothers spent the year raising money for the senior trip by selling cookies and chili at games. That trip to Louisiana ignited Lee's passion for travel. She became a flight attendant for United Airlines in 1960 and enjoyed visiting places like the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

Lee attended St. Joseph's in Wichita, KS where she earned her Registered Nursing certification and began a beloved lifelong career as a nurse. She later earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at St. Mary of the Plains College in 1984, working and raising children simultaneously – truly a superwoman. Lee worked in emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and joined the Visiting Nurses Association of Douglas County in 1969, where she worked as an administrator and nurse until her retirement in 1999.

Lee believed that God loves all people, regardless of race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. She protected, loved and stood up for all people through her nursing practices, donations, and church activity. She volunteered for multiple community assistance programs such as Health Care Access, assisted in rebuilding homes after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and acted as a nurse onsite in Greensburg, Kansas after the devastating tornado there in 2007.

She was married to David Arthur Hough (b. 1937) from 1961-1989, and lived in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey and Ft. Allen, Puerto Rico until 1963. They finally settled down in Lawrence, KS to raise two daughters, Janice Lee Hough (1963-1988) and Karen Sue Hough. They traveled to Spain and Hawaii, drove all over the United States and spent every summer waterskiing, fishing and grilling at her parents' cabin on Lake Kahola outside Emporia, KS.

In 1993, Lee took an extended European trip with her daughter, Karen. She often visited Chicago and New York to see Karen, and her beloved son-in-law, Todd Majidzadeh. She eventually took each of her three grandchildren on a trip to Europe after their 8th grade graduations, Timothy S. Majidzadeh (b.1998), Kate C. Majidzadeh (b. 2000) and Trey A. Majidzadeh (b. 2004). She and Karen also enjoyed a trip to Taiwan and China in 2017.

Lee married Thomas Alva Hedrick (b. 1934) in 1999, gaining a stepdaughter, Nancy J. Hedrick. They enjoyed 23 years as a couple dedicated to their community, their church, and their schools. They loved to host students and athletes at their home, and were KU and Baker fans to the core, never missing a game or event. The were proud grandparents and attended every concert, XC meet, drama production, holiday, party, graduation, soccer and basketball game possible of ‘The Big Three’ as Tom named them.

Lee loved her garden and served as a member and the President of the Prairie Acres Garden Club of Kansas. She served on the Board of Meals on Wheels of Lawrence, KS. She became an honorary alumnus of Baker University where she endowed The Mary Lee Hedrick Scholarship in Nursing for non-traditional students. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Lawrence for 59 years, and served as Parish Nurse. She was an integral part of the United Methodist Women. As a founding investor in the expansion of the church to West Lawrence, many credit her with the vision to see the need to expand, and be the driving force for building West Campus for FUMC.

Lee was a fabulous cook, and often sent surprise boxes of home baked goodies, cut-out articles, and gifts to her family and friends, just when they most needed a boost. She will be remembered for her kindness, happy energy, integrity, and love.

She joins many loved ones in heaven, especially her parents and daughter. She requested that tributes be made to Meals on Wheels of Lawrence, https://www.lawrencemow.org/ or the Visiting Nurses Association of Douglas County https://www.kansasvna.org/ or may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

A Celebration of Life service and luncheon will be held in her honor on Thursday, August 11 at 11:00am CT, at the First United Methodist Church, West Campus, 867 US-40, Lawrence, KS 66049.

For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.