[Reading-hall-of-fame] Fwd: Passing of Dick Hodges

[P David Pearson, Emeritus]

I just received this from Dixie Massey. Dick was a wonderful scholar and
individual.  I meant him when I was a BRAND NEW PhD at a preconvention
institute at IRA in Anaheim (Disneyland) sponsored by the Psycholinguistics
and Reading Committee of IRA in 1970 or 71.  More about that meeting later.

Suffice it to say that one of my annual treats in attending meetings of
that committee (and later RHf meetings, for which Dick was treasurer for
what seemed like forever) was being able to say hello to Dick and Lois. One
of sweetest and kindest and most empathetic individuals I have EVER met.

I am seconding Dixie's suggestion that we add a new word to our working
vocabulary in Dick's honor.

David




---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Massey, Dixie <masseyd at spu.edu>
Date: Fri, Apr 8, 2022 at 3:50 PM
Subject: Passing of Dick Hodges
To: Massey, Dixie <masseyd at spu.edu>


Hi all,
Here is the obituary for Dick Hodges:


November 21, 1928 - February 4, 2021

Mountlake Terrace, Washington - Richard E. Hodges, an emeritus professor at
the University of Puget Sound, died peacefully at age 92 after years of
declining health. Born in Los Angeles to Charles and Helen Hodges, Dick was
an only child.

Fresh out of high school, he served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division in
Occupied Japan. Upon discharge, Dick was hired as a copy boy at the L.A.
Examiner, where his duties included running errands for William Randolph
Hearst. Dick entered college on the GI Bill, first studying forestry, then
switching to education. After earning joint degrees from Oregon College of
Education and Oregon State, he worked as an elementary school teacher and
principal near Salem. There he met and married Lois Sorensen. In 1962, the
newlyweds moved to Menlo Park, CA and Dick undertook doctoral work at
Stanford. Under the supervision of his mentor, Paul Hanna, and with Lois as
a research assistant, Dick conducted one of the first computerized analyses
of English sound/spelling patterns, a study that informs literacy
instruction to this day.

After earning his Ed.D. in 1964, Dick headed to the University of Chicago,
where he was an Associate Professor of Education until 1975 when he joined
the UPS faculty as Dean of the School of Education. He and Lois, with their
two children, settled in Fircrest, where they would live for 37 years. At
UPS, Dick helped establish the M.A.T. program while continuing to publish
influential work in his field. With colleague Ted Harris, he edited The
Literacy Dictionary: The Vocabulary of Reading and Writing for the
International Literacy Association (ILA). Dick cherished his friends and
colleagues at UPS and found great fulfillment in mentoring preservice
teachers. Upon retirement in 1994, he was inducted into the ILA's Reading
Hall of Fame.

As retirees, Dick and Lois traveled extensively overseas and throughout the
US, and Dick embarked on a passion project: researching the life and times
of London schoolmaster Richard Hodges, author of The English Primrose
(1644), one of the earliest guides to English spelling and punctuation.

Dick will be sorely missed by his family and friends. A voracious reader
and compulsive punster, he adored baseball, fly-fishing, British roadsters
(when they were running), jazz, and vanilla ice cream. Above all, he loved
his family. Our Dear Old Dad was a thoughtful listener who made a person
feel like they'd be able to cope with difficulty, no matter what it was—and
he kept us laughing to the end.

Dick is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lois; daughter, Susan; son,
Charles (Melanie); and grandchildren, Hayley Hodges and Jacob, Liz, and
Colin Mallory. To honor Dick, add a new word to your vocabulary.
Condolences can be sent to the Neptune Society, 4320 196th St. SW,
Lynnwood, WA 98036.

Published by News Tribune (Tacoma) on Feb. 14, 2021.


-- 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life
in your years."**‑—Abraham Lincoln*
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
P. David Pearson
Evelyn Lois Corey *Emeritus* Professor of Instructional Science
Graduate School of Education
University of California, Berkeley

email:  ppearson at berkeley.edu
other e-mail:  pdavidpearsondean at gmail.com
website for publications:  www.pdavidpearson.org
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