Part 3: July 2nd, 2025 – Celebrating His 89th Birthday
Just a few weeks after Father's Day, on July 2nd, 2025, we'll mark what would have been my dad's 89th birthday. Birthdays are typically a time for celebration, and even in his absence, we find ways to celebrate the life he lived. This year, reaching 89 years old would have been a significant milestone, a testament to a life well-lived. We can almost hear him recounting tales from his youth in Sedona and Flagstaff, or sharing insights gleaned from his varied experiences.
Celebrating his birthday now means celebrating his enduring spirit. It's about recognizing the impact he had on everyone he met, from his beloved wife Joan, to his son Earl Clinton Hedges Jr., his brother Clifford, and sister Shiryl, his niece and nephew. We also remember the profound sorrow of losing my two sisters, his infant daughters, Eunice Lenora and Victoria Ruth, a pain he carried, and a loss that affected you deeply at such a young age.
His legacy extends beyond family, touching all those who knew "Earlybird." Perhaps we'll engage in one of his favorite pastimes or simply raise a toast to the man who gave us so much. While he's no longer physically with us, his memory remains vibrant, reminding us of the lessons he taught, the love he shared, and the unique individual he was. His burial in Cook's Cedar Glade Cemetery in Sedona, near his birthplace, connects him eternally to the Arizona land he loved.
As we navigate Father's Day and his birthday this year, we do so with hearts full of love and gratitude for Earl Clinton Hedges Sr. His journey on the "good old gospel ship" continues, and his memory sails on with us.
YOURS CAPTAIN HEDGES
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