Lola Hedrick

Lola Dale Selders Hedrick died on May 12, 2013 at her home in Junction City, Kansas. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, May 20, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church with Reverend Laurie Barnes officiating. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Memorial contributions have been designated to the First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson Street, Junction City, KS 66441.

Lola was born in Rosedale, Kansas (now Kansas City, Kansas) on July 24, 1917, the fifth child of Thomas (Tom) and Michaelina (Mamie) Selders. She was raised in Kansas City, but after high school graduation she moved with her parents to Chillicothe, Missouri. She studied and graduated from the Chillicothe Business College. During that time she attended the First Presbyterian Church of Chillicothe, sang in the choir and was active in the young singles group. It was there that she met the love of her life, Olin Claire Hedrick, also a student at the college. They married in 1940 in Chillicothe, and shortly after, moved back to the Kansas City area. In 1943, just months after their first child Judith Claire was born, Olin was drafted into the Army, leaving Lola and new baby Judy to live with Lola's parents.

In the summer of 1944 she traveled by train with Judy to join Olin in San Francisco for several months prior to his being deployed. She often said that from their hotel room she could see the hundreds of ships coming into San Francisco Bay from all around the world for the ceremonies marking the beginning of the United Nations. When the war ended, and Olin finally returned home from the War, they were able to purchase their first home in Kansas City, where they were blessed with a new baby, Donald Keith in 1947. In 1952 the family moved to Topeka. Lola began work as the Head Cashier in the Finance Office of Washburn University, where she proudly worked until her retirement 25 years later.

In 1977 after 36 years of marriage she lost Olin after his long bout with cancer. Shortly before he died, she finally, at the age of 59, learned to drive, knowing that was a skill she would need when he was gone. She then made many solo trips to Kansas City to visit her family and of course to Manhattan and Junction City to visit her grandchildren.. Mom played volleyball and basketball in high school, and loved all sports (football not so much). She went from one season to the next always keeping up with the game schedules so she would make sure she had the correct channel to watch.

Her entire life had been one of commitment to her church. Her family in Kansas City had been long time members of Westport Presbyterian Church. When the move to Topeka was made, they became members of First Presbyterian Church, and later St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir for many years. When she moved to Junction City in the year 2000, she became a loyal member of the First United Methodist Church with Judy's family.

Lola is survived by her daughter Judith (Judy) and her husband Joel of Junction City, Kansas, her son Donald (Don) and his wife Artyce (Artie) of Manhattan, Kansas, grandchildren Janyth (Jan) Burkhalter and her husband David, Jayme Cantu and her husband Victor, all of Allen, Texas, Gretchen Hedrick-Skelton and her husband Shannon of Madison, Wisconsin, Nathan Hedrick and his wife Amanda of Manhattan, Kansas, great-grandchildren Molly Burkhalter, Victoria, Dillon, Heather, and Devon Cantu, all of Allen, Texas, and Kieran and Keaton Skelton of Madison, Wisconsin. She is also survived by one brother, Daniel Selders of Mannassas, Virginia and many, many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her husband Olin, parents Tom and Mamie Selders, brothers Joseph Selders, Benjamin Selders, and Alan Selders, and sisters Mary Selders Gould, Ida Selders Fessler and Myrtle Selders.

Lola and Olin were devoted to their family, and always first to brag on the accomplishments of their children and grandchildren. She was a quiet woman……one who was loved by so many around her. Her faith kept her strong, and even when she made the difficult move to Junction City to be nearer her son and daughter, one of the first things she did was to find a church home. She will be greatly missed by all of us, but we know that her faith has taken her to a better place to rejoin Olin and her family there.

Our many thanks go to the staff at Sterling House, who so lovingly cared for her in the last years. Also to her hospice care team, and the doctors and nurses at Geary Community Hospital, who cared for her and brought her through several serious illnesses. God bless you all.