J. Claude Hodges, 92
HARTLY, Del. - J. Claude Hodges passed away on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford.
He was born to John D. Hodges and Martha "Matti" Hodges on the Last Day of 1929 in Collinsville, Va.
Prior to living in Hartly, Delaware, he lived in Clayton, Del., he formally lived in New Castle County Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
He moved to Delaware when he was a teenager to be with his brother Lonnie to earn a better living than he could on the family farm. He served valiantly in the Korean War in the U.S. Army. After returning home he went to work in the insurance industry in Pennsylvania. He attended Temple University. After that, he was a truck driver seeing most of the continental United States and Canada. Eventually, he settled back in Delaware and worked in an automobile shop. He then worked for the Delaware Turnpike as a mechanic. He moved on to the Delaware Department of Corrections as a career skills instructor in the Automotive shop for the James T Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Del. He retired from the State in 1991 and shortly thereafter served for 12 years as a Sergeant of Arms for The Delaware General Assembly.
He had a lifelong love for fast cars and fancied himself "the best mechanic in Delaware." He also enjoyed golf, hunting, and being engaged in local politics. He was a member of the Kenton Ruritan and loved to sing in the Church Choir.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Anna Jane; his siblings, Milton Hodges, Lonnie Hodges, James Hodges, Beaman Hodges, and Ruth Gravely; and his grandsons, Scott Doherty, David "DJ" Albright, Kevin Forrest, Hunter Cox; and a son-in-law, John W. Doherty.
Claude is survived by his loving family, Martha Butler and her husband Brian of Cincinnati, Ohio, Elizabeth Doherty of Middletown, Del., David Albright and his wife Donna of New Castle, Del., Claudine "Deanie" Rathgeber and her husband Steven of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Donna Forrest and her husband William of Wellsboro, Pa., Mary Robinson and her husband John of Hartly, Del.; grandchildren, Kelli Vickers (Doherty), Chris Albright, Amanda Bollinger (Albright), John Robinson, Jr., Kelley Baker (Robinson), Ryan Cox, Megan Doherty, Kasey Belcher (Robinson), Justin Cox, Michelle Forrest, Sean Butler, Jeff Butler, Brianne Deering (Butler), Chris Rathgeber, Kevin Rathgeber; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held 2 p.m., Wed., March 9, 2022 at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna, where friends may call at 1 p.m. Interment will be at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Delaware Hospice, 911 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901. Memorial gifts can be made online, over the phone or via check".
To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.matthewsbryson.com