Richard Hedges (Richard Hedges)

Wyandotte High School

Class of 1960

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Richard Hedges - Class of 1960 - Wyandotte High School

First Name	Richard
Last Name	Hedges
Maiden Name	Hedges
Graduation Year	Class of 1960
Gender	Male
City	N/A
State/Province	CA
Country	United States
Occupation	Union Representative
Married	Yes
Favorite School Memory	Social Hour
About Me	For those of you who don't know, I had a daughter who was born during my senior year in high school. She lives in Kansas City now. She has 3 children who are the light of my life. Kim, my daughter is such a blessing. As of 2008 she is 48. I am now married and I have been either living with or married to the same woman for 38 years. We came to California in 1970 where we settled. We both completed our MA's and we have careers here. I just retired from the career I have had for 28 years in January. When I came to California, I became involved within my Local Union while working on my MA. I went to work for the Union and stayed with it. I am currently employed by Congressman, Tom Lantos as a Field Representative. I am very active in City of San Mateo. I have been appointed to the California State Board of Barber and Cosmetology as a Board Member and elected their Vice President. Since I retired, I have gotten even more involved with community affairs. In addition to the Citizens Advisory Committee to the City Council, attending the Citizens Academy, working for our next State Assembly person's successful election, serving on the executive board of the United Home Owners Association, I am on the Executive Board of the San Mateo Central Labor Council, Our Mayor asked me to apply for the Grand Jury. I was appointed to the Grand Jury. I was also appointed to the "Workforce Investment Board". I serve on the Citizens Advisory Council to the Metropolitan Transportation Committee, The Transportation Authority of San Mateo County and helped rewrite the San Mateo City Charter. I just returned from a trip to visit my three grandchildren and my daughter. I love being with them and watching them grow in size and personality. We purchased a home in Hilo, Hawaii. We usually spend two months per year there. So far, I have been able to attend all of my public meetings by telephone. Our primary home is in San Mateo, California. I attended Emporia State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. I attended school there after working for several years. It was probably the most rewarding 4 years of my life, mainly because I met the woman who would become my wife. We have been together for nearly 39 years. I had many good instructors: Dr Fisher who recently passed away, Dr.Tory who is retired, Dr O'Brien, Mr. Kready and Mr. Deniston come to mind immediately, but were not the only good instructors I had. Dr Backhus was a wonderful science teacher and made me understand physical science for the first time in my life. As an older student, I was not terribly drawn to the social life of campus, but I always felt the attitudes and political beliefs of many of my classmate were far too conservative. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the many spirited debates that we engaged in with each other. I recently visited the campus with my wife and we had a wonderful time with the sweet memories we held with each other. The time I spent working on my masters program was not memorable for any reason other than the workload I carried between classes and work. The experience was good from and academic standpoint, but San Francisco State College is a commuter school, that is long on academic achievement and short on community. Nearly all the students had such busy lives apart from school that very little community life was engaged in by the graduate students. I received my Masters in American Urban History in 1973. I was born in Wyandotte County Kansas. My family was blue-collar workers. I began working at a very young age and joined a union (The Retail Clerks) at the age of fifteen. I was active in the Union when young. I was blessed during the Johnson administration by being given National Defense and Education Act Loans that enabled me to attend college. I completed my BA and MA by 1973. While working on my Masters Degree I again became a member of the Retail Clerks Union (in 1979 the name changed to United Food And Commercial Workers International Union). I became active with the Union and was asked to go to work for the International Union. It was a perfect (job) way of life for a person of my background and I am thankful that I was given a chance to make a difference for working people. I spent 28 years doing this best of all possible work. I retired last January and continue to volunteer for the Labor Movement. During my career, I organized, bargained and worked as an administrator for the Union. My last job was as Executive Assistant to the Director of Region Eight with direct...(read more)