Marie Hedrick

Marie Smith Logan Hedrick, age 84, passed away Thursday, December 11, 2020, in Tuscaloosa. All services will be graveside and held at Phillips Chapel Church located at 19552 Mormon Rd., Northport, AL 35475, on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.  A graveside viewing will be at 12:30 p.m. followed by the 1:00 p.m. graveside funeral service, led by Reverend Brannon Pinion, and followed by burial.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Jewell and Tempie Savannah Taylor Smith; and by ten siblings; Annie Bell Smith Poole (Ralph), William Eura Smith (Dean – still living), Lennie Bell Smith Duncan (Tandy K.), Lafund Smith (Nell), Lonnie Lee Smith (Juanita –still living), J.B. Smith (Bernice), Johnny Howard Smith, Dorothy Mae Smith, Joseph Lee Smith, and Baby Boy Smith (stillborn); and by former husband, Marion Joseph Logan, and their daughter, Brenda Ann Logan Carroll; and by husband James Hedrick.

Marie is survived by two children, William Gary Logan and Martha Melinda Logan Hood; and she is survived by the following grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Gary’s daughter, Samantha Logan Taylor (Josh) and great-grandson Aiden; Brenda’s daughter, Angela Marie Carroll Johnson, and great-grandson Joshua; and Brenda’s son, Daniel Carroll, and four great grand-children, Preston, Nathan, Natalie, and Haley; and Melinda’s son, Mark Hood. Marie is also survived by one sister, Kathleen Smith Thompson (Tommy).

Honorary pallbearers are the members of Marie’s Sunday School Class at Rosedale Baptist Church. Serving pallbearers are Larry Coleman, Danny Carroll and his son; Daniel Carroll and his sons; Preston Carroll, and Nathan Carroll; and Mark Hood, son of Melinda.

Marie was a 1954 graduate of Gorgas High School. The Gorgarama, her senior yearbook described her, “As large as life, and twice as natural.”  Her superlatives were: “Tomboy” and “Biggest Talker.” She was also listed as a Member of the FHA. (Future Housewives of America). Her class prophecy listed along with several others was, “To become contented housewives.” But her most unusual activity as a teenager was that she played baseball on a girls’ team. Not Softball. Baseball. As an adult she, along with her daughter, Brenda, played softball on the Rosedale Baptist Softball Team.

Whether called “Mattie,” “Ree,” or “ReeRee,” Marie personified the joy of living with her boisterous laughter and quick conversation with everybody she met, family or stranger. Her love of singing persisted throughout her life, especially singing church hymns. Today she is probably practicing with God’s eternal choir with that host of family and friends already there. Those of us left behind are, to borrow a Hank Williams line, so lonesome we could die.

In consideration of the age and health of most of Marie’s friends, social distancing and wearing masks would be the kindest thing to do. Masks will be available if you do not have one.