Rhonda Alicia Hedderich

Rhonda Alicia Roe Hedderich, of Gray, TN passed away on December 19, 2009 at her residence. She was born and reared in Houston, TX. Rhonda was active in the North Shore High School Marching Band and was voted Band Sweetheart in 1970. Upon graduating high school in 1970 she attended Lee College, Baytown. One of her many interests involved learning and developing proficiency in sign language. Rhonda was very active in the Second Baptist Church, Baytown, TX, and in 1973 participated in the Summer Missionary program of the Southern Baptist Home Missions Board. She traveled to Bel Air MD, to serve in the Deaf Ministry of the Oak Grave Baptist Church. In 1974 she married Ronald L. Hedderich at Westwood Baptist Church in Palestine, TX. The couple resided in Ft. Worth, TX for many years. In 1975 she received the Bachelor of Science degree, in Nursing, from the University of Texas School of Nursing, Ft Worth, TX. For many years she pursued a career in both hospital nursing and as a Cardiovascular Clinical Rounds Nurse for the group of physicians known as Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Ft. Worth, TX. Community theater was a lifelong interest and passion for Rhonda. She was a Board Member of the Ft. Worth Childrens Theater and supported the Kids Who Care program. She participated in many productions as actress and stage manager. In 1998 she relocated with her husband Ron to East Tennessee. There she pursued studies in the East Tennessee State University Theater Arts and Communications program towards a degree in Theater Arts. During that time she acted in numerous productions at the University such as 'Media'? , 'Death of a Salesman'?, 'Harvey'? and 'A Christmas Carol. ' Rhonda also authored and performed a one-woman play entitled 'Bleeding Arizona, : An Army Nurse Remembers Pearl Harbor'?, portraying the experiences of a military nurse at Pearl Harbor during the initial days of Americas entry into World War II. She professed a great love for the people and mountains of East Tennessee and was an avid hiker in her beloved Smokey Mountains. Rhonda and her husband Ron are members of the Central Baptist Church, Johnson City, Tennessee and attended the Koinonia Sunday School Class. She is survived by her husband Ron, her mother Mat Roe, her sister Nanette Scarborough, and brothers John and Gerald Roe. Funeral services will be conducted at 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 22, 2009 from Central Baptist Church. Dr. Ronald Murray will officiate. Burial services will be held at the Monte Vista Memorial Park at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. A procession will leave the funeral home at 12:40 pm on Wednesday to go to the cemetery. Pallbearers will be the following members of the Koinonia Sunday Class of Central Baptist Church, Tony Burrow, John Goah, Bill Kennedy, Tony Street, Gary Tregaskis and Larry Wilcox. Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Bostick and Larry Walker. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah.The family will receive friends at the church from 5:00 until 7:00 pm on Tuesday.