Tommy Hedrick

Jacob Thomas “Tommy” Hedrick passed away on May 3, 2024, at Trinity Oaks in Salisbury.

There will be a double Celebration of Life for he and his wife of 73 years, Betty T. Hedrick, who passed away on March 23, 2024, at Macedonia United Methodist Church on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at 2:00 pm. If the sanctuary is full, the service will be live streamed in Spirit Hall and on the church’s Facebook page.  Visitation will follow in Spirit Hall. Memorials may be directed to Macedonia United Methodist Church Building Fund at PO Box 190, Southmont, NC 27351.

Tommy was born in Davidson County on October 2, 1934, to Curtis H. Hedrick and Helen Surratt Hedrick. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty, sister Martha Godwin and son-in-law Bob McMillan. He is survived by daughters Stephanie Potter (Bob) of Salisbury and Jeanie Buchanan (Dr. John) of Lexington, and granddaughters Mary Buchanan of Virginia Beach, VA, and Dr. Helen Peters (Dr. Jonathan) of Durham.

He graduated from Southmont High School in 1952 and Ashmore Business College. In high school, he was a star baseball player. Newspapers said he was the hardest-hitting high schooler in North Carolina. He had the record, at that time, of hitting the longest ball by a 15-year-old of 422 feet. He was an All-State American Legion player and was player-coach of his high school, his junior, and senior years.

He was a life-long member of Macedonia United Methodist Church and through the years served as Sunday School Superintendent to Finance Committee Chairman and the Pastor Parish Relations Committee.

A life-long member of the Democratic Party, he was County Chair for 8 years, a member of the State Executive Committee for 30 years and the Executive Council for four years. In 1976, he was selected Most Outstanding Democrat in the old 5th District in Governor Jim Hunt’s first term. He was honored by the Democratic Party of Davidson County at 70 years old as a Senior Citizen Democrat. Governor Hunt appointed him to the Crime Commission where he served for four years. During Governor Hunt’s second eight-year term, he was appointed to the NC Economic Development Committee. He traveled the world with Governor Hunt recruiting industry for North Carolina. Seven of the eight years, North Carolina led the nation in new capital investment. Governor Hunt awarded him in 1985 by bestowing him with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor.

He was chairman of the Davidson County Economic Development Committee for 15 years. His last accomplishment was recruiting Egger Wood Products. In 1974, he was elected to the Davidson County Board of Education where he served two terms.

He was owner of Davidson County Commercial Solid Waste Hauling Company. He sold it to Waste Management in 1988. Later, he was a partner in Best Disposal. Prior to that he was a face veneer salesman in High Point for 19 years.