James Edward (Ed) Hodge, age 78, of Brookville, Ind., died Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, at his residence.
Ed was born Sept. 10, 1928, in Providence, Ky., and graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville in 1946. He began working for Swift and Company in Evansville and later relocated his family to Paris, Ill., where he owned and operated Paris Livestock Sales Company from 1960 until 1970. He served as a buyer for Marhoeffer Foods in Muncie, Ind., and then for Dinner Bell Foods in Troy, Ohio from 1970 until 1990 and ended his career with Marriah Packing Company in Brookville, Ind., in 1993.
Ed served in Korea in the Army Second Infantry Division, where he received the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, and the United Nations Service Medal. He was a member of the Bernard Hurst Post 77 of the American Legion in Brookville, where he was an active member of the firing squad, and also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2014 of Brookville. Ed was an avid golfer and 15-year member of Brookhill Golf Club as well as an annual participant in the Bright Leaf golf outing.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty Hodge, of Brookville; four daughters, Linda Hodge, of Oxford, Ohio; Cindy Bruggeman and her husband, John, of Troy, Ohio; Kathy Moos and her husband, Doug, of Lancaster, Ohio; and Karen Hodge and her fiancée, Mike Green, of Tipp City, Ohio; three grandchildren, Kate Bruggeman, 17, Tony Moos, 15, and Kevin Bruggeman, 13. Also surviving are two sisters-in-law, Thelma Springer, of Newburgh and Shirley Reitz, of Evansville; four nephews, Raymond Reitz of Philadelphia, Dave and Mike Reitz, of Evansville, Jeff Reitz, of Henderson, Ky., and one niece, Susan Teer, of Evansville.
It was Ed's wish to be cremated. Friends may call from 1 until 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007, at Phillips & Meyers Funeral Home, 1025 Franklin Ave., Brookville. All are welcome to attend a memorial service officiated by his daughters at 3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Following the service, friends are invited to join Ed's family at American Legion Post 77, 1290 Fairfield Ave., Brookville, where the firing squad will pay a tribute at 4 p.m., to be followed by a reception from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
The family would like to offer special thanks to Kay Rehage and other member of the Hospice team of Margaret Mary Community Hospital for their support and encouragement. Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of Margaret Mary, 321 Mitchell Ave., Batesville, IN 47006.
