Time For Memory

JAMES HOMER HODGE SR., 74, of Huntington, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, September 21, 2018, after an extended illness. James was born to Viola (nee Meredith) and Homer Hodge in June 1944. James was proud to have been born on D-Day and with his unique sense of humor often quipped his Dad "labored in Normandy while his Mother labored here in child birth!" James was preceded in death by his parents, by his son, Matthew Hodge, and by his first wife of 44 years, Barbara (nee Rowe) Hodge, the mother of his children. James was an honors graduate at CK High School where he played football. He later attended The University of Oklahoma for two years (where he became a lifelong Sooners fan) and later completed his education at Huntington Business College with an Associate's in Business. Except for his two-year service in the Army (he was especially proud of his one-year stint in Vietnam, 173rd Airborne Division), he was employed by Ashland Oil Refinery and retired from there in 2001. He later worked for C&I Employment Services as a planner at the Marathon Refinery in their Canton, Ohio, facility before accepting a position as planner for C&I at the Marathon Petroleum, located in Ashland, Ky. He worked there until he permanently retired in 2016. James is survived by his wife, Deborah Hodge; sister, Jean Hatton of Ceredo, W.Va.; brother, Roger (Hellen) of Huntington; and two sons, Jim (Sara) Hodge and Robert Hodge (Cara) of Huntington. He is also survived by his five granddaughters, Brittany, Victoria, Skylar, Taylor and Aubrey Hodge, and two grandsons, Trent and Trevor Hodge, all of Huntington. His furry pals, Max, Molly, Abby and Tiberius, will greatly miss him, along with all the birds he loved to feed year-round. But most important to James was his family. Family always came first as he told nearly everyone he met how much he enjoyed raising his boys and watching them play sports, whether it was football, baseball, soccer, tennis or The Hodge Family (highly competitive) Ping Pong games. He even passed along his love of sports to all his grandchildren (Go Sooners!). Most of all, James was a wonderful husband, brother, father and grandfather who will be greatly missed. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday, September 27, 2018, at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel, Barboursville. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Barboursville. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Wallace Funeral Home, Barboursville. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.