Verna Rebecca Hedges, 94, of Reedsport died on April 30th.  A family graveside service will be held at the Reedsport Masonic Cemetery.  An open-house gathering for family and friends will be held on Saturday, May 11th at 3:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Restaurant in Reedsport.  Light refreshments will be served.
Verna was born on October 10, 1918 in Vancouver, Washington to Francis and Elsie Vanderpool.  She was the youngest of their three children.  When Verna was very young, the family moved to Reedsport.  They lived in a float house on the Umpqua River for a while.  Verna liked helping her dad on the log boom at the mill where he worked.  She even had a small pole she used to move the logs.
She attended school in Reedsport and then lived briefly in Portland.  She loved to swim and was a lifeguard at the Janzen Beach pool.  After returning to Reedsport she married Herbert Hedges on August 6, 1939 and they made their first home in Reedsport.  When the war broke out, they moved to Vancouver where Herbert worked at Long Bell Mill.  Ten children were born to the couple.
Verna liked working outside and visiting with her neighbors.  After the youngest child graduated from high school, Herb and Verna moved to Eugene.  Verna worked at a small sawmill for a few years.  Her favorite pastime was to attend the Emerald Ems baseball games where she sat at the third base line to cheer or jeer the players and coaches.
Verna moved back to Reedsport a few years ago to be closer to some of her children.  She still took in all the Ems games until they moved out of Civic Stadium to PK Park.
Verna is survived by her children:  daughters Doris (Allen) Penniman of Jefferson and Clarice (Bill) Otis of Reedsport; sons Carl (Cheryl), John and Frank (Laurice), all of Reedsport and Hubert, Jr. of Portland and Jim (Tena) of Kelso, WA.; 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother Alan Vanderpool and sister Heloise Sandberg; her husband; sons Charles and Maurice; daughter Mary Hedges.
Memorial remembrances may be given to Reedsport Education Enrichment Foundation ( REEF )at P.O. Box 203, Reedsport, Oregon 97467.  Verna was very proud to be honored with her children as the "Tall Timber of the Tall Timbers" by REEF.