Frank Hedgcock

Surrounded by his family, Frank McCaskill Hedgcock passed away August 30, 2023 in Edina, Minnesota.  Frank was born July 1, 1936 in the living room of his parents, John and Virginia (McCaskill) Hedgcock in Jerseyville, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and pursued a master’s degree at Kansas State University, Manhattan.  In 1959 he was stationed with the First Division of the U.S. Army at Fort Riley, Kansas.  A life-long athlete, Frank earned All-American honors in cross-country in 1956 and competed on the All-Army track team. 

Frank worked as a City Planner in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, and for the Northeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, before serving for 28 years as Director of Community Development for Waukesha, Wisconsin.  Frank initiated a number of programs which make Waukesha a more livable community: developer contributions to park and school sites; public housing; historic preservation; downtown redevelopment; Fox River development; TIF districts; wetlands preservation; scattered low-income housing; and mass transit.

Frank and his wife Mary recently celebrated 59 years of marriage. His greatest joy was their family: three sons, Robert (Julie) of Delafield, WI; John (Marisa) of Norcross, GA; William (Megan) of Edina, MN; six grandchildren, Jacob, Joshua, Emily, Ella, Sara, and Silas; and five nephews and nieces.  Three siblings preceded him in death: William Robert, John Harrison, Jr., and Mary Louise Kurtz.

As a volunteer Frank coached age group track and served as Boy Scout Troop 82 Committee Chair. He was a member of Waukesha Rotary Club 1975-2023 and for 25 years chaired the Waukesha Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program.  He served 28 years on the Board of Directors for Presbyterian Homes of Wisconsin; and 50 years as a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church where he served two terms as ruling elder and one as deacon.  He sang in multiple church choirs for a total of 70 years.  In 2022, Frank and Mary joined Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, MN.

In retirement Frank became an avid gardener and woodworker and generously shared both produce and carpentry skills with family, friends, and community groups.  Frank competed in triathlons and received numerous medals and ribbons in Wisconsin Senior Olympics and National Senior Games.  Frank and Mary served as United Methodist Individual Volunteers to Bolivia and the Czech Republic and led five teams of volunteers to a school in Montero, Bolivia. They also served on mission teams to Guatemala; Costa Rica; Texas; Arkansas; New York; and Missouri. 

A Celebration of Frank’s Life will be held at First United Methodist Church, 121 Wisconsin Ave., Waukesha at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 7.  Visitation will begin at 10 am and a light lunch will follow the service.  In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to First United Methodist Church or United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).