Josephine "Jo" Hedlund

Josephine "Jo" Hedlund was born June 10, 1934 to George and Anna (Berg) Weickum on the family farm near Wewela, South Dakota. Jo was 1 of 12 children (2 died in early childhood). Jo was born in the midst of the depression and used to joke that she was almost named "DP" to symbolize it. Throughout childhood and her adult life, Jo had a love for reading (anything and everything). Jo lived in Omaha, NE in her later teen years with her two younger sisters (Vera and Judy) and attended Central High School while working part time. Jo returned to her home state and completed high school in Winner, SD and obtained a job with the telephone company and later transferred with the telephone company back to Omaha, NE. While in Omaha, Jo met a man at a dance on Christmas Day at Sokol Hall (South Omaha). Jo was amazed at how big the man's feet were and was surprised that he could dance with such "big feet". Jo married the man with the big feet – Willard "Bill" Hedlund – on October 24, 1959. Jo and Bill lived on the 'family farm' near Ceresco, Nebraska for 50 years and raised two children – Victor and Vera Jo. Jo was instrumental in creating the Ceresco Library and served as the librarian for 19 years before retiring. Jo and Bill moved to Wahoo, NE in 2009 where jo continued to live after her husband's death. Jo, or "Mom" or "Grandma" or "Aunt Jo" will always be remembered for her love of cooking and always ensuring everybody was fed (bread, fried chicken, cinnamon rolls, etc., etc., etc.) and the concept learned from the depression and Weickum family of 'never throwing anything away' – "someday you might need it!" Jo is survived by children Victor (Maureen) Hedlund, Omaha, Vera Jo (Bill) Schneider, Lincoln; grandchildren Toni (Zeb) Rogers, Michael Hedlund, Nikki Winterstien, Amanda Winterstien, Travis Hedlund, Jacob Hedlund; great-grandchildren Anais and Oceane Rogers; sisters Twila (Curt) Holderfield, Carter Lake, IA, Vera (Lauren) Kuhr, Mead, NE. She was preceded in death by husband Willard "Bill"; parents George and Anna Weickum; brothers William, Victor and Ralph Weickum; sisters Georgianna Leighton, Mary Ertzner, Violet "Phyllis" Maska, Judy Stover. Memorials are preferred to the Ceresco Library or Wahoo Busy Wheels.