Obituary of Rhea Ann Hedstrom

On Friday, May 8, 2020, Rhea Ann Hedstrom, loving wife and mother of two children, passed away at the age of 47.

Rhea was born on May 29, 1972, in New Orleans, LA to Dave and Linda Matthews. She lived in Slidell, and then Lacombe, LA until 1986 when she and her parents moved to St. Louis, MO.

Rhea spent the bulk of her elementary teaching career at Fairway Elementary, Wildwood Missouri teaching art, where she met several life-long friends.

Rhea earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education in May 1996. She then earned her Master of Arts Degree in Education at Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO in December 2001.

In 2004, she met her husband to be, Heath Hedstrom, in Omaha, NE through mutual friends Duncan and Melinda Evans. Rhea and Heath dated long distance for a year. In December 2005, Heath proposed to her as she walked up the airport gangway at Eppley Airfield on her Christmas break visit. Heath moved Rhea up to Omaha in April of that year, and on July 8, 2006, they were married at the Monte Carlo Casino in Las Vegas, NV with over 50 friends and relatives in attendance.

Once in Omaha, Rhea taught 4th and then 5th grade at Black Elk Elementary, Millard, NE from 2006 to 2016, when she reluctantly had to retire due to her health.

Rhea was full of life and energy. She was creative, intelligent, caring, and strong. She enjoyed going on vacation with Heath, Auggie and Gunnar, and especially loved when those vacations were at the beach. She loved making jewelry and even started her own jewelry line, JewelRhea. Rhea really enjoyed showing and selling her creations online and at craft shows. She was a caring mother, wife, sister, daughter, and friend. Her contagious laughter, her deep consideration of others, her energy, her smile, her faith, and her love for her family will be greatly missed by all.

Rhea is preceded in death by her sister Angie Welker, Bloomington, IL.

She is survived by her husband Heath, her two sons August and Gunnar, her Mother Linda Winroth of St. Louis MO, Father and Mother Dave and Tina Matthews, St. Louis, MO, sister Koreen (Jorge) Rivera, Biloxi, MS, her brothers Dave (Rachel) Matthews, St. Louis, MO, and Norman (Melissa) LeBlanc, Jr., St. Louis, as well as her mother-in-law Sandra Hedstrom of Villisca, IA, as well as several nephews, nieces and cousins.