obit for Rev. Orville Hodge
My mother and her father always kept clippings from the newspaper.I am posting them in hopes that they will help someone.
Orville Hodge was the son of John and Mary Eleanor Hodge and was born near Trenton, MO., December 31, 1889.He departed this life February 1, 1951 at his home near Buffalo, MO., having reached the age of 70 years, one month and one day.
He came with his parents from Kansas when a lad of eight years locating near Urbana in Dallas county.At the age of 18 he made the good confession and was baptized into Christ, Placing his membership with the Urbana Christian Church.
On March 3, 1901, he was united in marriage with Nettie Coon of Dallas County, the officiating minister being Bro. Samuel Hendrickson.The two children born to this union were Paul C. Hodge and Helen Belle Hodge, the later's death occuring in 1925.
He followed the teaching profession for five years in Dallas county then studied for a year at Culver Stockton College where he was ordained to the ministry of the Christian Church.He then enrolled in Phillipfis University at Enid, Okla., from which he received his master's degree.For two years he served in the capacity of field representative for Drake University.
His pastorates over a period of 46 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri and California and he was engaged in the evangelistic work in 15 states.
Ill health retarded his acitivity for the past several months, yet he filled his preaching appointments regularly having occupied the pulpit at Louisburg the Lord's Day previous to his death.He was also minister of the Tunas Christian Church.
Bro. Hodge served the Washington Christian Church in Laclede County for 12 years and was in the 21st year of service with the Louisburg Christian Church.
He is the last surviving member of his family having been preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, his twin sister having died at the age of 19.
His survivors include his devoted wife, Nettie; his son, Paul C. Hodge and wife, Nelle; three grandchildren Paul C. Jr., Helen Elaine and Dale Jeanne Hodge of Chicago, Ill.; a number of nieces and nephews and two cousins, Mrs. Gussa Watkins, Buffalo and Mrs. Elma Helton of Northview, Mo.
Bro. Hodge was one of the promotors of the Bennett Spring Christian Service Camp thus devoting much time and labor to its building.For ten years he was chairman of the Board of Trustees and had served as dean of the Intermediate Camp and member of the faculty.His main interest in the camp was witnessing for Christ and winning young people to Him.He was strictly a gospel minister, bringing forceful and convincing messages to the people.
His fellow ministers and coworkers will miss a much cherished fellowship and the spiritual counsel which he was capable of giving and the example of Christian living will be perpetuated in many lives.
Had Bro. Hodge lived until the third of next month, he and his wife would have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, an event to which he was looking forward to with great interest. But-
Death takes us unawares,
And stays our hurrying feet.
The great design unfinished lies,
Our lives are incomplete.
Funeral services were conducted at the Buffalo Christian Church at 2 p.m. Monday, February 5 with Rev. V.R. Walker officiating , assisted by J.H. Lynch and H.V. Day. Burial was in Oak Lawn cemetery under direction of L.B. Jones and Son.