Sikeston city councilman dies

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston businessman and community leader Thomas W. Hedrick died Sunday at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was 63.

Hedrick, who was serving his second term as a member of the Sikeston City Council, was an original member of the Veterans' Park Committee. He served as past president of the Sikeston Rotary Club and was named to the Sikeston Public Schools Honor Wall.

Sikeston Mayor Jerry Pullen described the death of his longtime friend and fellow city council member as a "great loss to the city." He noted Hedrick's background in civil engineering proved helpful to the community, including in the construction of Sikeston's new Department of Public Safety building and efforts to resolve the flood plain issue.

"Anything we built or tore down, he was helpful in that," Pullen said. "He was wonderful to work with, very smart. I hate it that this happened so young in his life. He was a good person, a very good person."

The funeral is scheduled for today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

Mr. Hedrick lived most of his life in Sikeston, graduating from Sikeston High School in 1968.

He received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Missouri in 1972 and a Master of Science in civil engineering in 1974.

Employed by Penta Engineering in St. Louis, Mr. Hedrick was the recipient of the Charles M. Ruprecht Excellence in Business Acumen Award in 2012. Also he contributed articles on his field to numerous industry publications and holds seven U.S. patents for civil engineering and logistical processes.

His wife, Donna, survives of the home in Sikeston. Also surviving are his daughter and son-in-law, Will and Erynn Hassinger; two sisters, Suzanne Hedrick of Kansas City, Mo., and Janet Hunter of Ozark; and two granddaughters.