Hedgecoth, Stella Mae

Stella Mae Hedgecoth, 84, of 3740 F Ave. NE, died Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center after a brief illness. Services: 11 a.m. Friday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5 to 8 tonight.

Survivors include two sons, Dale (Beverly) of Cedar Rapids and Norman of Platteville, Wis.; one sister, Ruth Heron of Woodway, Va.; and two brothers, Allan (Rosemary) Young of Springfield, Mo., and L.B. (Audrey) Young of Knoxville, Tenn. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Cara, Jason, Katie, Andrea and John; 16 great-grandchildren; and special friends, Karl and Marlene Sibert and Cindy Miller.

She was preceded in death by her husband, and two grandchildren, Joel and Robert.

Stella was born May 6, 1925, in Lee County, Va., the daughter of Albert and Roxie Patrick Young. After graduating from high school Stella worked on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tenn., from 1943 to 1945, helping to build the atomic bomb. She married Kenneth O. Hedgecoth on March 8, 1947, in St. Charles, Va. He died in 1962. Stella was a test operator at Collins for 30 years, retiring in 1982. While employed at Collins she helped build the communications equipment for the Apollo Space program.

She enjoyed shopping with her granddaughters and was said to have a green hand when it came to gardening, especially with the beautiful flowers she grew. 

“The family would like to give a special thanks to the doctors and staff at Mercy Medical Center for the loving care given to Stella.”

Memorial donations may be given to the Children's Hospital at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City in Stella's name.

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