Eric Joel Hedlund

Mr. Hedlund, son of Wells Hedlund and Ethel Reynolds Hedlund was born October 19, 1939 in Washington, D.C. He is survived by two sisters, Sandra Lidberg (David) and Sonja Jordan (Wray), two stepchildren, a grandson, and three nephews.

Mr. Hedlund served in the United States Navy from September 1960 until November 1964, becoming an Ocean Rescue Life Guard after leaving the Navy. On Christmas Eve of 1964 he became a Police Officer for the City Of Fort Lauderdale where he rose to the rank of Captain of Detectives. He spent 10 years in the Organized Crime Bureau first as a Lieutenant as Deputy Director then as the Director. Capt. Hedlund was responsible for initiating many innovative investigative techniques combating Narcotics and Organized Crime groups around the world. He retired from Fort Lauderdale Police Department 1990. In 1992 he was asked to join the Broward County Sherriff’s Office to help organize that agency's Department of Organized Crime. He then moved to Tennessee before moving to Georgia in 1995 where he joined the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, retiring in 2001 to be with his family and friends and traveling. He loved his home and caring for it and spending time with people, unknowingly mentoring everyone he encountered. His advice and support will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Friday, October 24, 2014 at Elliott Sons Funeral Home on Columbia Road. Interment will follow in Westover Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Chad Daughtry, Bradley Jordan, Keith Jordan, his nephews, Jason Cooper and Jeffrey Cooper, nephews of his heart, and Blake Westbrook, who was a great friend, companion and caretaker. The family will receive friends beginning at 12:00pm until the hour of service.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to GRU Neurology Center or the CSRA Parkinson's Foundation.