Gary Lloyd Hodge
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MT. VERNON - Gary Lloyd Hodge, age 79, of Waltonville, passed away on Friday, March 4, 2011, at the Harry S. Truman VA Hospital in Columbia, Mo. Gary was born Dec. 8, 1931, in Waltonville, a son of Charles Quincy and Anna Mae (Rightnowar) Hodge. He married Rose (Morales) January 25, 1956, in Newark, N.J. She preceded him in death in 1983. Gary joined the Illinois National Guard in February1949 and served until the Korean War began, he then enlisted into the U.S. Navy. Gary served in the supply department of the Navy during the Korea and Vietnam conflicts. He retired from the U.S. Navy as a Senior Chief Storekeeper on January 25, 1972. Gary and his family moved to Waltonville, where he worked for the Waltonville Post Office as a rural mail carrier and retired in 1993. Gary was active in veterans' affairs on the local and state level. He is a Past Commander and life member of VFW Post 9153 in Waltonville. Gary is also a Past AMVETS Post 4, Commander, Mt. Vernon and Past Department Commander, Department of Illinois AMVETS; also, Past Commander and honorary life member of American Legion Post 141, Mt. Vernon. He is life member of DAV chapter 28, Mt. Vernon, Korean War Veterans, Member Fleet Reserve Association, U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, Mt. Vernon Gun and Sportsman's Club, Inc., A.F. & A.M. Goode Lodge 744, Sesser, the Scottish Rite Valley of Southern Illinois, Ainad Shriners, East St. Louis, NARFE Chapter 688, Moose Lodge and AMVETS Sad Sack 10. In 1991, Gary organized AMVETS Post 148 in Waltonville with 104 members. Gary stayed active in veterans' affairs by serving Waltonville, Mt. Vernon and nearby towns. He helped any veteran get assistance from the Veteran Administration. He knew the process of filing claims, thus speeding up the service. He often took veterans to their appointments even to Columbia, Missouri to help them get more advanced care. He would stop off at Scott Air Force Base along the way to drive them around the base, take them to the PX, and never asked for anything in return. Gary is survived by one son, Lloyd "Chuck" Hodge and wife Genola of Columbia, Mo.; one daughter, Cynthia Hodge of Manteno; four grandchildren, Dalton and Genae Hodge and Connor and Victoria Perkins; one sister, Lucille Fagen Newell of Waltonville; and also special friend, Norma Lee Jones of Mt. Vernon. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, one son, Gary Wayne Hodge; two sisters, Estelle Holloway and Irene Green; three brothers, James Olin Hodge, William Francis Hodge and Charles Ray Hodge. Funeral services for Gary Hodge will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Newell Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with Chaplain Ernie Collins officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the American Legion Post 141 in Mt. Vernon. Interment will follow at Knob Prairie Cemetery in Waltonville. Visitation will be held Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m at Newell Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. For those wishing, memorials may be given in memory of Gary Lloyd Hodge to the American Cancer Society and will be accepted at the funeral home. For more information, you may call Newell Funeral Home at 246-0100 or visit www.newellfuneralhome.com. Source: Mt. Vernon Register NewsDate: March 2011 Submitted by: Cindy Ford |
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