MOUNT VERNON, OH – Larry Will Hedrick, 86, (1939-2026) of Mount Vernon, Ohio, passed away October 1st, 2026, in Mount Vernon, surrounded by loving family. Larry was born on December 23rd, 1939, in Newton, Kansas to A.C. and Goldie {Kerns} Hedrick. He married Nancy May Cashin on July 21st, 1962.
Larry joined the Navy out of High School and served four years aboard USS 756 Beatty, where he was trained and became a certified electrician. He earned serval badges and recognition for his outstanding service and rose to the rank of Petty Officer. Larry rode his motorcycle between Newton and Boston Massachusetts, pre-interstate highway, while stationed at Port Boston where he met and dated Nancy.
Then he bought a small plane to fly between Boston and Newton using dead-reckoning. He slept numerous times in the cockpit while waiting for the local airport to open. With his Navy and flying experience, Larry was hired as a contractor for the US Air Force Missile Command. When his contract was completed, he started working for Cessna, flying as the second crew member on test aircraft, responsible for fixing technical issues as they occurred.
Listening to his enthusiastic stories about crossing the angry Atlantic during winter on Beatty, driving through the Appalachian Mountains on his Triumph, or flying above them in his 90 H.P. Stinson airplane were great career-building experiences. Larry describing having one life experience or another always made great stories. That all stopped when the stork arrived.
His many unique experiences and knowledge from the fields of Kansas to the Navy led him to a career as an Airport Manager / Executive at five different commercial airports. They were Newton KS, Westfield MA, Niagara Falls NY, Buffalo NY and finally Columbus Ohio where he retired in December of 2000.
He was constantly recognized for his excellent work with every title. For the Newton Civil Defense Coordinator, he made the final decision to turn on the tornado sirens! Larry was elected as the Northeast Chapter President of the American Association of Airport Executives (A.A.A.E.) from 1975 to 1980, and National President of the (A.A.A.E) from the 1979 to 1980. The FAA, in 1984, recognized him for his contributions to the Western New York Region. In 1985 / 1987 the Secret Service and the FBI for his contributions to law enforcement of the United States.
During his lifetime Larry built several campers, bought and sold several boats and found it necessary to rebuild every home in every state including at least five homes in Ohio. He was also a cub master where chaos reigned in the remodeled basement for a few years in W.N. Y. Once retired, Larry designed and created beautiful works of art in stained-glass.
For many years Larry and Nancy loved living part-time in Punta Gorda, Florida where they often boated on the Gulf of Mexico with their family and friends. They continued traveling across the United States by camper and enjoyed a couple of cruises.
Still willing to help the community, Larry was one of the founding board members of the Knox Energy Cooperative in 1999. He served as their Board President where they had the goal of bringing natural gas services to lake communities, then rural housing and commercial properties. Today, the gas cooperative serves over 25,000 customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Larry will be deeply missed by his wife Nancy; children Christina (Edgar) Hedrick-Herbold, Kathleen (Paul) Dewey, and Thomas Hedrick; two grandchildren Jacob and Bethany, two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Larry was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Donna (Glazier) Rickenberg and brother Roy Hedrick.
In the future an announced celebration of life will be held at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. The National Cemetery is located at 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville (near Wooster), Ohio 44273. Their phone number is 330-335-3069 or 800-698-2411 and fax 216- 229- 6104. Website: https://www.va.gov/cems/nch . Family info will be on Roberts Funeral Website, www.robertsfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the “American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” Their website is https://www.aspca.org or call 212-876-7700.
