Carol Lee Hedrick

On April 29th, 2025, we said goodbye to Carol Lee (Hushagen) Hedrick, born in Pelican Rapids, MN on April 3rd, 1938. We let go of a spitfire woman who was preceded in death by her husband, Joel Stephen Hedrick, and many others close to her heart.

Carol - to her four children - Elise Stelling and husband, Jim; Jay Hedrick and wife Susie; Sarah Hedrick, Joel Hedrick and wife Kim - held a very special place in each of their lives and hearts and shaped who they became. We loved her dearly, and our hearts are broken to lose her, but we are so grateful she is not in pain anymore. A few days before she passed away, she told us that she hoped she had been well-behaved enough to go home, meaning heaven, and promised she would behave until the end. She was always a bit mischievous, but we believe she behaved in spades.

Carol was raised by amazing parents, Amanda and Art Hushagen, who taught her to play music, a multitude of skills and crafts, and a deep faith. In her youth she was an organist in their Lutheran church and during her last days of life we sang and listened to many of her favorite hymns as well as a lot of Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Patsy Cline, Carole King and so many more - all of which we were raised listening to.

Carol and her husband, Steve, loved to camp, take road trips, and to sail in the Virgin Islands, and after his death, she became a travel agent and took great advantage of her travel benefits, especially loving London.

To her grandchildren, Amanda Stelling Chase (Nick), Gray David, Christian Hedrick, Finn Isaacson, Darby David, Sophie Hedrick, Tillie David, Gus Hedrick, Penelope Hedrick Hunt, and Evalie Hedrick, she was an amazing Grandmother.

She loved her 10 grandchildren deeply - many of their memories include Spa Nights at Grammy’s, where she let them play in her wax foot bath and then wake up to their little wax feet and fist molds in her freezer. On some of these sleepover nights, she would let them dress up in her wedding gown, fancy shoes, and other special dresses. She let little Penelope and Gus paint her fireplace and didn’t care what it looked like, and she let them dye her hair. She let them play games on her computer that they weren’t allowed to play at home; she was a master pumpkin carver, irreverent storyteller, and a friend.

Carol attended every event her grandkids participated in - baseball, football, volleyball games, ski races, dance performances, ballet, theater, music performances, and hockey. She was the best “Hockey Gram” and was 84 when she last went to Bozeman, MT, to support Gus and his hockey team.

One of her happiest moments was greeting her great-granddaughters, Stella and Raya, the beautiful babies born to her first grandchild, Amanda, into this world. Seeing them together was so beautiful.

Carol loved bowling, bridge, dancing, music, marbles, painting pottery, Pokino, camping, and road trips - no matter where she was going - because she loved to travel and meet people. When you asked her if she wanted a glass of wine, she would say, “Just an inch” or “Just a splash” or “Just a bump,” and we all knew what she meant! She was often seen dancing at The Duchin Room, and occasionally at the Casino playing pool. On one of her birthdays, she soared over our valley in a glider plane. She was brave, up for anything - including a late-night trip to Frenchman’s Bend - and loved to make new friends. She and “Grammy Barb”, her best friend, went weekly to the Sun Valley Brewery where they had many friends and a few arm wrestling matches. We all have many memories of Carol on her porch in her purple rocking chair, enjoying her lovely flower garden.

She was the Queen of raising one eyebrow to show you she knew what you really meant, and at the end of her life, she did it one more time.

That’s her legacy. And we will all miss her so much.

We will be celebrating Carol Hedrick - Granny Bohanny, Gram, Big Mom, Willow, Alice and all of her other personas - on August 10th at Hop Porter Park, time to be determined soon. Her favorite color was yellow and she would want you to come dressed in colors and to dance, celebrate, share favorite stories, have a “little splash” and celebrate living a vibrant 87 years!

Memories and condolences may be shared with he family in the guestbook section below.