Dewanda Hedgecock England

DeWANDA HEDGECOCK ENGLAND lived in Arkansas the first 21 years of her life and expired July 10, 2014, in Katy, Texas. Funeral Service was held at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, July 15, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookshire with Reverend Elaine Cervini and Reverend Dottie Dumas officiating. She is survived by her children: Gail and her husband, Jeff, Wayne and his wife, Kathleen, and Mark and his wife, Phyllis; grandchildren: Rebecca, Derek, Megan and Walker; 8 great grandchildren, and an abundance of friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph in August 1989. Precocious and with a burning desire to read, DeWanda taught herself to read at a very early age and began her formal education in a one-teacher school in Wilton, Arkansas. At age 4, she often visited the first grade reading class "for practice." In seventh grade in a spelling bee, she "spelled down" all the students in her junior high school. She graduated from Ashdown, Arkansas High School at the age of 15, and from Henderson State Teachers College (now HSU) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas at 19. Her degree was in Business Administration and Economics. DeWanda taught 2 years in Arkansas before deciding that teaching kids her own age was "not her bag." She had applied for an employment opportunity in Houston and at the end of her teaching career, the job in Houston was waiting. In 1946, in a Paul Jones dance at the Old Hitching Rack in Addicks, DeWanda Hedgecock met Ralph England. She was the personal secretary to an eminent attorney; Ralph was just home from the Navy. They were married January 11, 1947. Their 3 children were born in the next 6 years. An inveterate reader, her love of books surfaced again once the children were all in school, but there was no local library. Not one to give way to adverse circumstances, DeWanda put together a round-robin book circle of interested readers that she personally supervised for about 20 years. The circle became three, and had more than half a hundred participants. She did substitute teaching in the local schools for many years; taught an adult Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church "for a hundred years" (her words); and at various times wrote a widely read personals column for two or three newspapers. Everyone knew of Attila and the horde of hummingbirds she fed each year, and only in her later years did she become interested in finches. DeWanda truly touched many lives. She carried on extensive correspondence with childhood friends, friends from high school and college, former residents, and sent birthday greetings to a host of loved ones and acquaintances. Possessed of a dry and sometimes biting wit, she often called a spade a spade. A friend said of her, "This was an educated woman with an independence of mind not often perceived." She said of herself, "You have to be tough to live as long as I have." She will be laid to rest beside Ralph in Woodlawn Garden of Memories. In addition to her immediate family, DeWanda is also survived by 2 nephews and her niece who is conducting today''s service. She also leaves a cherished girl cousin in Arkansas. Pallbearers were Todd Handley, Darrell Schrader, David Woods, Chris McDonald, Gerald Gassner and Edwin Mayberry. Honorary Pallbearers were Rhemann Halbison, David Williams, John Ledford, Doug Mincy, Harris Garrett, Clyde King, Burford Henneke and Sarge Bilyeu. Friends who wish may make memorial gift to the: Henderson State University Foundation, P.O. Box 7550, Arkadelphia, AR 71999, First United Methodist Church of Brookshire, P.O. Box 397, Brookshire, Texas 77423, Brookshire Pattison Library, 3815 6th Street, Brookshire, Texas 77423 or to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 2425 Fountain View Drive, Ste. 280, Houston, Texas 77057.