Hildene J. Edwards (Asplund) age 92 of Springfield, Ohio passed away peacefully on April 13, 2026. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Hildene "Dee" was the eldest daughter born on July 27, 1933 in Florence, Wisconsin to the late Hilding and Ruth Asplund (Ostrom). She graduated from Florence High School as Salutatorian of her class in 1951. After attending Oshkosh State Teachers College for a year, she decided her true calling was to be a nurse and transferred to Madison General School of Nursing where she graduated as an RN in 1955. While working at the VA Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin she met William (Bill) Edwards and they were married in 1957. After their son Greg was born in 1958, they moved to Chicago and welcomed the birth of their daughter Lisa in 1963. In 1964 the family relocated to Springfield, Ohio where Dee was actively involved in The Junior Service League, as well as the The Springfield Civic Theater. She returned to her nursing career at Mercy Medical Center and later at Mercy’s Chemotherapy Center. For almost 30 years she provided compassionate nursing care to her patients and was frequently approached when she was out and about in the Springfield community by former patients who remembered her kindness while they were in her care.
A devout Christian all her life, she was an active member of First Lutheran Church where she served in Altar Guild for many years. Although diminutive in stature, she was strong in her convictions and proud of her Swedish heritage. She was always impeccably dressed and meticulous about her home which included a legendary ability to eliminate any stain known to mankind. A life-long collector of vintage glass, dishes and linens, Dee enjoyed antiquing and spent time going to flea markets, auctions and thrift stores. She eventually opened a booth in an Antique Shop in Urbana, Ohio. True to her giving nature, Dee also loved to gift her collectibles to both family and friends. Dee took pleasure in gardening, filling her home with blossoms from the yard. In her later years, she enjoyed travel with Bill in Europe and in the States. But her favorite trips were to see her family.
In addition to her loving husband Bill of 68 years and her children, Greg (Becky) Edwards and Lisa Pregent, Dee is survived by sister Eileen (Asplund) Pugh, grandson Will Edwards, granddaughter Elizabeth (Spencer) Ford, great-granddaughter Frances Ford and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Dee was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Kathleen Larson (Asplund), brother-in-law Bob Larson, sister Marlene Bentley (Asplund), brother-in-law Ron Bentley and nephew Mark Bentley.
A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, April 24th at First Lutheran Church from 10-11:00am with a memorial service beginning at 11:00am and a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Hildene Edwards to The Florence County Historical Foundation, 201 Florence Avenue, P.O. Box 162, Florence, WI 54121. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the nurses and staff at Oakwood Village and Affinity Hospice for their loving and tender care given to Dee during her final days. Her final resting place will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Florence, WI.
