Gene Hedrick October 21, 1949 - October 14, 2020

Gene Hedrick of Brinkley passed away at Forrest City Medical Center at the age of 70. A son of Houston and Beatrice (Wiggs) Hedrick, he was born and raised in Cotton Plant.

During high school, Gene enjoyed participating with the Bulldog Scrapper’s football team, and the community baseball leagues. Well known as “Mean Gene", he became a 1967 graduate of Cotton Plant High School. He enjoyed driving his Dodge Super B, racing motorcycles and winning the Carlisle drag races. He also liked to fish, hunt and water ski.

On May 2, 1976, Gene was blessed with the birth of his daughter and only child, Lisa. She was "Daddy's Little Girl" and quickly became his fishing buddy and partner in watching wrestling and Rocky movies on T.V. They especially enjoyed the summers when they rode together in the big rigs traveling the US highways.

Gene worked as a truck driver for US Steel in Forrest City and then owned and operated Gene Hedrick Trucking. He hauled for Riceland Food in Wheatley and after 35 years retired from the business.

On November 24, 2001 he and Karen Churchwell were married and have remained residents of Brinkley. They shared quiet days in the country, where he enjoyed the simplicity of yard work. Gene served as pastor of the Gospel Lighthouse in Moro before retiring in 2016.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Houston and Beatrice Hedrick. Survivors are his wife, Karen Hedrick, of Brinkley; daughter, Lisa Capshaw and husband, Ray, of Brinkley; and one brother, Dean Hedrick, of DeWitt.

Graveside services were October 16 at Posey Cemetery near Wheatley by Bob Neal & Sons Funeral Home in Brinkley.