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Hello,
My name is Robert Hodgson and on behalf of myself and my entire
family I'd like to thank you just for coming to this website.
The fact that you're here, reading this, shows that you are just
the person we are trying to reach in our efforts to help others
and honor our father, husband, grampa, George.
I suppose I should start by telling
you a little about George. I could write volumes about my
Dad, but I'll try to keep it brief. My Dad saw and did a
lot of things in his lifetime, including; landing on the beach
at Normandy in World War II and marching on to Berlin, He
married a beautiful woman named Frances, he graduated from Northeastern University as a
chemical engineer, he raised nine children, he served as an auxiliary police officer in
Melrose, Ma. for over 20 years. He was a talented craftsman and
woodworker, he was an avid outdoorsman and had a great respect
and appreciation of the natural world. These are things my
father did in his lifetime, but they cannot fully convey who he
was.
George was an honest, intelligent, compassionate, generous,
loving and pious man of the highest moral caliber. He
would truly give you the shirt off his back and expect nothing
in return. He was guided by a strong moral compass and
never wavered from it's designated path. He was fond of
saying "don't ever sell yourself short for a buck." There
were no riches great enough to compromise his sense of what was
right. He never had a bad word to say of another.
We've all heard the expression " if you don't have anything nice
to say, don't say anything at all." Unlike many, my father
actually practiced this philosophy. If he had something to
say, he would say it to you directly and not to others, behind
your back.
In his final years, my father was
left mostly paralyzed by a stroke and almost completely blind
due to macular degeneration. He spent the better part of
several years sitting in his easy chair, listening to a
television he could not see. In spite of this, I never
once heard him complain or express any self-pity. I don't
know if I would have the strength of mind or soul to endure that
kind of existence, but that was just another case of my Dad
leading and teaching us by example. He accepted the hand
he had been dealt and made the best of it. Through his
strength, we were blessed with his presence for just a little
longer.
I'm not sure what his IQ was, but I
can assure you it was well over 160. Anyone who ever met
my father, even briefly, will confirm this. He was never
pretentious or condescending, but you didn't need to speak to
him for very long to glean the wisdom in his words. His
mind remained sharp as a tack to the very end and, if you knew
my Dad, you will not be surprised to learn that he exercised his
brain in various ways including calculating the velocity of a
Pedro Martinez' fast ball in his head while listening to the
game on the TV. Did I mention he was a baseball fan?
I cried when the Red Sox won the World Series because my Dad
wasn't here to see it. My Dad
would have really enjoyed that series, Not just because it was
the Sox, but because a bunch of guys clawed their way back from
almost certain defeat to claim victory. He definitely had
a place in his heart for the underdog.
I truly believe that my Dad could
have given up at any time, but to give up was not in his nature.
I find evidence of this in the timing of his final moments.
I, along with my son, Robert Junior, lived with my Mom and Dad
in Melrose. This was the only home my son ever knew and he
and my Dad were truly best friends. They watched cartoons
together every day and played endless games, most of which only
Robert knew the rules to. In the autumn of 2002 my Dad was
diagnosed with cancer and doctors estimated he had six months to
live. Shortly thereafter, Me and Robert, who was ten years
old at the time, kissed my Dad goodbye and boarded a plane bound
for Disneyland. We would only be gone for a week. Almost
immediately after our departure, my Dad began to succumb to the
cancer. He would not be home when we returned. I
believe that my Dad saw an opportunity to spare my son from
watching him pass away and he took it. That was my Dad!
Thinking of others before himself until the very end.
In my Dad's final days, Hospice care was
provided free of charge by Hallmark Health. They helped my Dad
to remain comfortable and pain free in his final hours and
allowed him to leave this world for the next with dignity. This
was a great service to my Dad and my whole family as well. We
were so impressed with the care they provided that we wanted to
do something to help them with their mission. My brother Joe
took up the cause with this golf tournament and the rest of us
hopped onboard. It has become a wonderful family tradition that
allows us to celebrate our father's life and honor his memory.
Your participation or donations to the
George T. Hodgson Jr. Memorial Trust will help Hallmark Hospice
continue to provide their compassionate services to patients and
families in need. "Everyone
is or will be affected by death or grief in their lifetime."
"Your gift, big or small, will make a difference in someone's
life and in the quality of care available to those facing a
terminal illness."
Thank you,
Robert Hodgson & the entire Hodgson family
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