John Finley Hodder

John “Jack” Finley Hodder, age 90 of Country Club Retirement Center in Dover, died Tuesday November 9, 2010 in the University Medical Center at Princeton, New Jersey following a brief illness.Jack, as he was known to family and friends, was born on December 9, 1919 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the late Lewis Samuel Hodder and Mable Margaret Finley Hodder. He graduated from Swissvale High School in suburban Pittsburgh and continued his formal education at Carnegie Mellon University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1941. In 1944, Jack was hired by Babcock & Wilcox Co. of New York City as a field engineer. He soon began servicing B&W equipment for Riggs-Disler Corporation and Westinghouse, having been assigned to maintain equipment at the New Philadelphia and Berwick, Pennsylvania locations for the General Electric Company. It was the responsibility of these firms to build rail mounted power plants for the Russian Government to supply mobile power to Russian cities affected by the bombings of World War II. Jack was drafted into the United States Navy at New Philadelphia and received his boot camp training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He was trained as a radio receiver & transmitter repair technician at the Chicago, Biloxi, & Gulfport training schools. Upon earning the commission of Ensign at New Orleans, Jack was assigned to the Naval Civil Engineering Corp “Sea Bees” at Providence, RI and was later stationed at Hawaii, Guam, and Okinawa with the 301″Sea Bee” Battalion. On June 9, 1945, Jack married the former Mary Jane Collins of New Philadelphia at Providence, Rhode Island and together the couple reared two children and shared in 48 years of marriage prior to her death on January 28, 1994. Upon his discharge from the Navy, Jack attended William McKinley Law School at Canton, Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Law degree. He soon took employment with The Peter Loftus Engineering Co. at Pittsburg and ultimately spent 37 years with the Joy Manufacturing Company in New Philadelphia in the engineering department, later serving as the Field Services Manager.Professionally, Jack was a life member of the Professional Engineers Society of America, The Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. He was also an active community member of the Atwood Yacht Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Tuscarawas Art Guild. He was a 60 plus year member of Blue, Council Chapter and Commandry Masonic Bodies were he served as organist for many years. Additionally, Jack was a long-time member of the First United Church of Christ at New Philadelphia, having served in various positions on the church consistory. He also served as the Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 80 and is a past President of AARP Chapter 2495. For more than 15 years, Jack was an active volunteer for AARP, assisting in their free tax assistance program.He is survived by his son Richard L. Hodder, Richard’s wife, Rebecca Engleman Hodder, of Wallingford, Connecticut; a daughter, Dr. Sally L. Hodder and Sally’s husband, Dr. Adel Mahmoud of Princeton, New Jersey; one granddaughter, Tanya Hodder Casanova, Tanya’s husband, Tucker Casanova, and a grandson, Jay Thornton. He is also survived by two great-grand children Alexander L. Casanova and Taryn Casanova.In addition to his parents and wife, Jack was preceded in death by a Brother, William Hodder. The family will receive friends on Sunday, November 14, 2010, from 2 to 5 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Masonic Lodge of sorrow services will begin at 4:45 PM. Pastors Jeff Gerber and Jill Lovett will lead a service celebrating Jack’s life in the funeral home’s chapel on Monday, November 15, at 10:30 AM. Burial along side his wife in the East Avenue Cemetery will follow where members of the Carl C. Stoller Post 1445 of the New Philadelphia VFW will render military honors.Following the service the family would like to invite guests to join them for a luncheon in the Geib Family Center, adjacent to the New Philadelphia funeral home. Those wishing to do so may send the family personal condolences or share stories by signing the online guest registry located on the funeral home’s website. Memorial contributions in Jack’s name may be directed to the First United Church of Christ Building Fund, PO Box 422, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.