Wilbur Daniel Hedberg was born in Turlock, CA on September 3, 1931 to Stanley and Melvina Hedberg. He had two brothers, Stanley Jr. and Howard.
His schooling started at Lowell Elementary in Turlock, transferring to Hughson and graduating from Hughson High School in 1950. While the family lived in Hughson, his father owned the Hughson Bakery where they worked together making handcrafted bakery goods. Looking back, Dan often said that helping in his father’s bakery was one of the highlights of his childhood.
Dan attended Modesto Junior College where he graduated from the Poultry Husbandry Agricultural Department. He then attended Biola Bible College in Southern California for a short period of time. During the Korean War, he spent three years in the United States Coast Guard aboard the Cutter Chautauqua doing air sea rescue. During this time, he married his first wife, Dorothy Nelson and they lived in San Francisco where he was stationed. After serving in the Coast Guard, he and Dorothy returned to Turlock where Dan went to work for Mower Poultry Farms for six years and then Nulaid Egg Company in their petroleum and fuel division. He later was able to move his customer base to Union Oil Company as a delivery driver and then worked in their distributorship over the next 33 years. After his wife Dorothy passed away in 1975, he married MaeJean Warnock in 1979. When Dan retired from Union Oil, he opened a woodshop making one-of-a-kind birdhouses over the next 17 years.
Dan was a member of Turlock Covenant Church all of his life where he served in several capacities including; youth counselor, men’s Bible study and prayer groups, playing trumpet in various musical groups and most recently playing trumpet with the Covenant Brass music group.
Playing trumpet was an important part of Dan’s life. He continued to play his trumpet up until two months prior to his passing. He was a member of Bugles Across America and often played taps for military services and memorials. He served on the board of Directors at Balboa Park Condo Assn. where he and MaeJean lived for 15 years. Dan and MaeJean also volunteered at the Turlock Historical Museum.
Dan is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Dorothy Nelson Hedberg, his second wife MaeJean Hedberg and his older brother Stanley Hedberg Jr..
He leaves his younger brother Howard Hedberg of Colorado, two daughters – Lynn Tomsha (husband Steve) of Texas, Jan Richard (husband Jack) of Texas, two step-children, Dora Renee Warnock of Modesto and Richard Glenn Warnock (wife Glenda) of Turlock. He also leaves 6 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of life will be held at Hope Church (formerly Turlock Covenant Church) located at the corner of Laurel and High Streets in Turlock on Thursday, August 6th at 11:00AM. A time of fellowship with lite refreshment will follow the service. The family will have a private internment service at Turlock Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Hope Church in Turlock.
