Herbert Carl Hedstrom, age 78, of Valparaiso passed away August 23, 2021. He was born on November 30, 1942 in Portage, Indiana to the late Elmer and Edna Hedstrom. A graduate of Portage High School, he received a scholarship to attend the University of Iowa and graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Music Education. He furthered his education at the University of Arkansas where he obtained a Masters of Music as a Percussion Instructor. He was the first four year student of the esteemed Tom Davis of the University of Iowa. Herb participated in Iowa Percussion, then one of only a handful of university percussion groups. He went on to teach band and vocals at Kouts High School. He was the band director for Lake Station, vocal instructor at Hammond Gavit, and percussion instructor at Valparaiso High School. He was very proud of the many students he taught that were selected to attend Indiana All State Band. Herb played professionally in Chicago and locally in musicals like Annie and The Wiz. As a hobby, he enjoyed hunting, especially the annual Crane Naval Base Deer Hunt. He loved sharing venison with friends, repairmen and his doctors.  He also enjoyed fishing with his dear friend, Tom Mason at Pigeon Lake. Herb was a world traveler visiting Australia, New Zealand, Venezuela, various cities in Mexico, Canada, the majority of the Caribbean Islands, Russia, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Shetland Islands, Ireland, England and Scotland. He finally joined the 50 states club when he visited Alaska for four weeks in 2016. He especially enjoyed visiting Sweden, the country of his families origins and hearing welcome home from a Swede in Stockholm.

He is survived by his life partner of 25 years, Ingrid Norris; daughters, Heather Lara of Panama City, Florida, Heidi (Ryan) Tuthill of Bozeman, Montana; grandchildren, Sophia, Gabriel, Sebastian, Logan and Fisher; sister, Rita Karsted of Connecticut; best friend and fishing buddy, Tom Mason.

Memorial contributions in Herb's name may be made to the American Heart Association or to the charity of the donor's choice.

A private family service will take place on Friday, September 3, 2021 at 10:00 am.  Due to the current pandemic the family kindly requests that friends participate in Herb's funeral by watching it on the Rees Funeral Homes, Inc. Facebook page where it will be livestreamed at that time. https://www.facebook.com/ReesFuneralHomesInc/live_videos/

He will be laid to rest at McCool Cemetery in Portage. For more information, please call (219) 762-3013. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.