(Photo- at the time of receiving a citation for his work as County Bond Sale chairman)

George T. Hedelund, Former Blair Banker, Died Tuesday

Held an active interest in 4-H work and farm training groups

George T. Hedelund, well known Blair man and former Chairman of the Board of the Washington County Bank, died late Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He had been in failing health for a number of months.

Mr. Hedelund, long associated with banking circles in Washington County, was in the banking business before, during and after the great depression and he had experienced the business at its worst and its best.

He was born in Blair January 1, 1895, one of eleven children—five boys and six girls. His parents had come to this country from Denmark. He attended the Blair City Schools, beginning at the first grade and graduating from High School in 1912. The following year he attended Dana College and in the Fall of 1913 he began teaching in Blair High School where he established the school’s first Commercial department. He was a member of the school faculty for two years and in 1916 turned his attention to banking.

His introduction to banking came in the former Citizens State Bank in Blair. A short time later he began the operation of a bank in the village of Washington, in the south part of this county. He remained in Washington for eleven years, then moved to Kennard to operate a bank there. During that time the great depression took its toll of many of the banks of the smaller communities and in 1933 the Washington County Bank was established in Blair to fill a need which stemmed from the loss of this community’s banking facilities during the depression. The bank opened on July 1st with Mr. Hedelund as cashier.

He became a member of the Blair Rotary Club in 1938, served as the club’s President in 1941-42 and later on the Board of Directors. For many years he was the club’s treasurer.

As a banker he took an active interest in 4-H club work and he established the annual 4-H Leaders’ dinner which is held early each Spring by the bank to recognize the men and women who give their time to the directing of 4-H clubs.

He was at one time recognized by the Future Farmers of America for his interest in that group. He also had much to do with the establishment of the annual Farm and Home Day which is held each February under the auspices of the Blair Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to many civic interests, he was a past President of the Blair Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Blair Board of Education for two terms.

He served as Washington County Bond Sales chairman for many years and received a recognition plaque from Congressman Glenn Cunningham for his efforts.

He retired from active participation in the direction of the bank in 1962 and since has spent much of his time at Park Rapids, Minnesota where he and Mrs. Hedelund had had a home for many years.

Mr. Hedelund is survived by his wife, Vera, who has been his constant companion for many years since he has been confined to a wheel chair following brain surgery nearly twenty years ago. Also surviving is a daughter, Jeanette, now Mrs. Robert C. Hunt, of Blair, and two granddaughters. There are also two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Blair, but the time of the services was still pending late Wednesday afternoon as The Enterprise went to press. Burial, under the direction of the Campbell Mortuary, will be made in the Blair cemetery.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~