Kathy Hedlund

Kathy Hedlund

Cedar Rapids

Kathleen Mostyn Martyn was born June 27, 1930, and died of old age on Oct. 18, 2022. Her mind was sound, and she wanted to talk politics to the very end, but her eyes, hearing, and body gave out on her. A private family burial service is planned. Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is assisting the family.

Kathy was lovingly raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa, by Blanche and Mostyn Martyn and brother, Frank. Her parents lost their restaurant in the Great Depression but made it through and made a good life for Kathy. Her father had polio in the early 1940s and eventually recovered. Kathy remembers him getting leg massages on their kitchen table and when he was moved to the University of Iowa Hospitals, they were not able to visit as they did not have a car. Kathy graduated from Oskaloosa High in 1948 where she was very involved in the Thespian Club, performing in many plays. When Kathy was 19, her father was electrocuted and died while working on a power line (her mother died of cancer in 1975).

Kathy met her husband Bill Hedlund in Oskaloosa when she was 20 and he was 28 and a manager of the A&P store. They greatly enjoyed dancing and were perfect dancing partners. They were married November 1950 and Bill was transferred to Ottumwa to manage the A&P store there. Polly was born July 1952 and Peggy in October 1955. Bill worked long hours six days a week and every Sunday they went home to Oskaloosa to visit their mothers. Kathy must have been overwhelmed at times being left at home alone with the two young girls, no driver’s license, and a party line phone. Luckily there were lots of morning coffees with the neighbors and she was an avid reader. Bill was invited to join the Hy-Vee family in 1964 and the family moved to Cedar Rapids where Bill opened the Wilson Avenue Hy-Vee. Kathy worked three mornings a week at the store, first in the redemption center and then in the office helping the bookkeeper. Kathy and Bill flourished in Cedar Rapids, making many long-lasting good friends, especially the Mitchell’s and Biederman’s, and enjoyed great success at Hy-Vee. Kathy and Bill shared a passion for golf, which led to many adventures traveling to tournaments with great friends, especially the Benz’s and Mathew’s. They were also avid Hawkeye football fans, had season ticket seats on the 50-yard line, loved to tailgate and attended the Rose Bowls. When Bill retired at age 55, they bought a house in Rio Verde, Ariz., and lived there from October to March so they were able to golf year-round. Bill had a heart attack and died in Rio Verde in February 1994 at age 71. He had gone out to play a trick on their neighbors by putting pink flamingos in their yard. When he didn’t come home Kathy went looking for him and found him dead from a heart attack in the neighbor’s driveway. Kathy was devastated but rallied and went on golfing, going to movies, volunteering, playing bridge, being a PEO sister, and took many trips on her own with travel groups – including sailing the Mediterranean with Governor Terry Branstad. Kathy was a great talker, and her family always enjoyed her “embellished” stories.

Family members left to remember Kathy: Daughter, Polly Hedlund Gerber Gould and her family: Joshua & Heather Gerber and children Ella, Zach/Nicole Bruck (and their soon to be born child); Megan & Kari Gerber/Wilken; Nicolas & Chelsea Gerber/Stoll and children Keaton and Warner; Daughter, Peggy Hedlund Tessier Pearson/Michael Pearson and her family: Annie & Alex Claire and daughter Freya; Emma and Luke Tessier/Kanter and children Charlie and Maddie.

The family extends its gratefulness to Care Initiatives Hospice and Meth-Wick The Woodlands.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Camp Courageous.

Raise a toast of Black Velvet and cheer Kathy on to her new adventure!

Please share a memory of Kathy at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.