James Dallas Hodges, 95, ended his earthly pilgrimage on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 and is now united with his Lord and reunited with his beloved wife, family and friends.
Jim was born in Newport News on March 20, 1927 and later lived in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia area where he graduated at age 16 from Washington and Lee High School. Instead of attending the College of William and Mary on a scholarship, he obtained a special waiver and joined the Navy in order to aid the World War II effort. After the war he attended the University of Virginia where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering and then worked for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (CGS) mapping the Bering Sea for submarine use. During that time he met and married Mary Lou Weaver, who was working for the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C.
While working for the CGS, Jim and Mary lived in Florida, where daughter Margo was born, and Maine before returning to Northern Virginia, where daughter Cathy was born less than a year later. Jim then began designing surface ship sonar systems for the Navy Department and eventually the family moved to Annandale. After retiring, he and Mary moved to Middlesex County, and enjoyed the home they built on the Piankatank River until Mary’s death in 2010.
Jim moved to Signal Mountain, Tenn. in 2013 where he spent the rest of his life surrounded by his family and new friends. In 2018, the first ground-mounted solar system at any school in Virginia was installed in Middlesex County at St. Clare Walker Middle School and named in his honor by his grandson, Taylor Brown.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, George and Martha Hodges; his wife, Mary Lou Hodges; and grandson, Preston Brown.
He is survived by his two daughters, Margo (David) Gardner and Catherine (Joe) Brown, both of Signal Mountain; grandchildren, David (Brie) Gardner of Chevy Chase, Md., Andrew (Carolyn Rose) Gardner of Signal Mountain, Maryn Gardner of Nashville and Quinn Gardner of Chattanooga, Tenn. Taylor (Heather) Brown of Charlottesville; great-grandchildren, Dallas, Staley Kate, Harrison, and Bennett Gardner and Atlas and Walter Brown; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim was an honest, humble and generous man who had a great sense of humor and was liked by all those who knew him. His devotion to his wife of 57 years was deep and memorable. He enjoyed a life-long hobby of stamp collecting and passed his love of nature, gardening, the beach, crabbing, fishing, card games and jig-saw puzzles on to his family. Possessing a servant’s heart, he was always willing to lend a helping hand or give a donation to a cause he supported. His family thanked those who prayed for and supported the family through this last year of his life, especially his devoted and loving caregivers and the Caring Presence ministry of Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church, where he was a member.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, yet there is comfort in knowing that he is delighting in the special place Jesus has prepared for him in heaven after a long life, well-lived.
A service is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at Lower Methodist Church in Hartfield. There also be a service in December on Signal Mountain, at a time to be determined.
In lieu of flowers and in memory of Jim’s desire to help others, the family suggests donations be made to Samaritan’s Purse, www.samaritanspurse.org, or Bright Focus Foundation, www.brightfocus.org.
Arrangements are by Faulkner Funeral Homes, Bristow-Faulkner Chapel, Saluda.
