William Depew Hedges, a descendant of one of East Hampton’s oldest families who summered here for many years, died on Aug. 29 at the Oak Hammock retirement community at the University of Florida, Gainesville. He was 95.
An education professor, Mr. Hedges wrote six books and some 150 articles, and consulted around the country and abroad during his career.
Mr. Hedges was born in Southampton on June 9, 1924, to William Sherrill Hedges and the former Susan Depew. “He was the 12th William Hedges in his line, the first having landed there in 1650,” his son Douglas Hedges wrote. Mr. Hedges lived in Wainscott as a young boy, but moved with his family to Malvern, Ark., when he was 8 or 9.
The Hedges family had a house on Main Street in East Hampton and later in life Mr. Hedges spent summers there. He enlisted in the Navy during World War II and gained admission to the V-12 Navy College Training Program. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma, where he received his commission.
After his tour of duty, he was married on April 9, 1948, to Robbie Farris.
He taught high school mathematics and science and held teaching and administrative positions in public schools in Arkansas, Kansas, North Carolina, Florida, and Missouri. He earned a doctorate at the George Peabody College in Nashville and became an associate professor in the education department at the University of Virginia.
From 1959 to 1962, he took a leave to work with the public schools in Daejeon, Korea, focusing on improving science education.
He became chairman of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education at the University of Missouri in 1968. After taking a year to do research at the University of Pittsburgh, in 1971 he accepted a position as chairman of elementary education in the College of Education at the University of Florida.
In 1985 and ’86 he returned to Daejeon on a Fulbright scholarship to lecture at Chungnam National University. He retired from the University of Florida as emeritus professor in 1991.
“A rationalist in intellect and an iconoclast in temperament, William devoured books, gardened vegetables, played bridge, voted a Democratic ticket, and appreciated bourbon and branch water every afternoon,” his family wrote. “Above all he was a devoted husband, father, and father-in-law.”
Mr. Hedges is survived by his wife and by his sons, William S. Hedges of Gainesville and Douglas N. Hedges of Vineland, N.J. His sister and brothers died before him.
Mr. Hedges was cremated. His family has suggested donations in his name to the William D. and Robbie F. Hedges Research Fund at the University of Florida’s College of Education.