Bob and Dorothy Hodson celebrate 70th anniversary
Former Hillsboro city councilman John Levo told The Highland County Press this week that this couple’s marriage is “a fine example of what all such unions should be.”
Hillsboro residents Robert and Dorothy Hodson were united in marriage on May 25, 1946, while Bob was still serving in the U.S. Navy.
For the past 70 years, both have been shining examples of community-minded citizens.
“I’ve known Bob and Dorothy for the better part of 60 years,” Mr. Levo said. “When Bob was a 4-H Extension agent in Clinton County, they were neighbors of my aunt and uncle. I believe my aunt’s mother babysat for David (the Hodsons' oldest son).
“Bob was also our family banker at the Clinton County National Bank in New Vienna. Our families attended the same church, and you might say by divine intervention, Bob started my own career in banking. Bob stopped me after church one Sunday and said they had an opening at the bank in Leesburg. That’s how I became a banker.”
Mr. Levo said he considers Bob and Dorothy Hodson almost as “second parents.”
“Bob and Dorothy always supported each other,” Mr. Levo said. “When you saw one, you saw the other. What Bob was involved in, so was Dorothy – and vice versa. Dorothy was a charter member of what is now the Festival of the Bells Committee. They were instrumental in the city’s part of the national bicentennial celebration in 1976, and so many other community events.”
Mr. Levo said it would be difficult to calculate all of the community events, organizations, economic development and other local causes for which the Hodsons gave of their time, insight and – more often than not – monetary contributions.
“There’s just so much that they’ve been involved with that people do not realize,” Mr. Levo said. “Bob always insisted that we (his employees) gave back to the community.”
Among the many community-service projects that Bob and Dorothy have worked on and continue to work on are (in no particular order):
• Highland County Society for Children and Adults.
• Southern State Community College Foundation.
• Highland District Hospital Foundation.
• Hodson Family 4-H Scholarship Endowment Fund.
• Festival of the Bells.
• Hillsboro Old-Fashioned Days.
• Highland County Family YMCA.
• Hillsboro First United Methodist Church.
• The Weastec manufacturing facility’s location in Hillsboro.
• Highland County Humane Society.
• Highland County Historical Society.
• Rotary International.
• The Hillsboro City Schools’ tax levy campaign.
• Annual Christmas decorations outside the historic Highland County Courthouse.
• Annual donations and Teddy bear distributions at KAMP Dovetail for the Supplementary Assistance to the Handicapped (SATH) program.
• Caring visits to area nursing homes and hospitals.
• Serving on and chairing numerous civic boards, organizations and fundraisers.
The list goes on and on.
Highland County Historical Society member and longtime educator Pamela Nickell said: “Bob not only was instrumental in the founding of the Highland County Historical Society, but he answered the call of the membership 48 years later to lead the successful effort to restructure the Society.
“Today, the Society not only collects and preserves the history of Highland County, but also researches and presents forgotten or little-known people and happenings of the past. Bob and Dorothy continue to contribute immeasurable time and untold financial support to the care, maintenance and promotion of the Highland House Museum. HCHS would definitely not be the Society it is today without the leadership, labor and gifts of the Hodsons.”
According to Mrs. Nickell, “When we moved here in 1979, Bob Hodson was the person who greeted and seated us on our first visit to the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church. I felt an instant familiarity only to discover through pictures I had at home, that he was an extension agent who had visited Camp Clifton when I was a camper nearly 25 years previously!
“To me, Dorothy has always been connected with beauty. Whether it was decorating the museum, managing the Christmas decorations in town, organizing antique sales for benefits, or welcoming guests to her beautiful home for meetings, she enhanced every environment,” Mrs. Nickell said.
“I think of Bob not only as a ‘doer,’ but as an encourager. It would be fun to know – but impossible to determine – how many congratulatory and encouraging notes he has written to others over the years; or how many photos he has taken and shared. Through the team of Bob and Dorothy, countless lives have been touched.”
Mr. Levo agrees.
“The number of organizations that have approached them over the years is probably mind-boggling,” Mr. Levo said at The Highland County Press this afternoon. “If you were to take away everything that Bob and Dorothy have touched in their community over the years – and the people they have helped – there would be a very noticeable absence. They are a great couple.”
When asked by The Highland County Press to share her thoughts on Bob and Dorothy Hodson’s 70th anniversary, former Hillsboro Mayor Betty Bishop said: “The Christ-like example that Bob and Dorothy have lived in this community has been one of love and mutual respect for each other. They are two of the most loving, caring and giving people I have ever met. Many times I have personally witnessed them helping people in need, as well as supporting the many clubs, churches and organizations.
“Lee and I count Bob and Dorothy among our best friends. Thank you so much for the many good times we shared together. Congratulations, Bob and Dorothy. We wish you the best!”
As does all of Highland County.
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Bob and Dorothy are the parents of David (Judy) of Cornelius, North Carolina, Jeff (Phyllis) of Washington C.H., and Susan (Bill) Rinehart of Logan.
David has three children, Jarrett, Meredith and Laura Lee. Meredith has two children, Madison and Grayson.
Jeff and Phyllis have two children, Nathan and Courtney.
Susan and Bill have two children, Lance and Tori.
The community is encouraged to extend Happy Anniversary greetings to Bob and Dorothy as they celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on May 25.