Daniel Hodge

Daniel Hodge, 79, of Nashua, NH passed away on June 29th following a brief illness.

He was born on May 26, 1947 in Lowell, MA the eldest child of Frederick and Edith Hodge.

Dan grew up in Hudson, NH attending public schools up through his graduation from Alvirne High School. During his time at Alvirne he enjoyed acting in school plays. He also worked part-time jobs at Benson’s Animal Farm and would speak fondly of his time there for the rest of his life. Shortly after graduating, Dan enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Albuquerque, NM and Wiesbaden, Germany during his time in the service. He achieved the rank of Staff Seargent and was honorably discharged in 1972.

Upon completion of his military service, Dan pursued higher education. He started that journey at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, and finished at Rivier University in Nashua, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. It was during his time at Rivier that Dan met Diana (Scrivener) Abbott. They wed in 1975 and welcomed their only child Chris in 1978. Dan and Diana would later divorce but remained friendly, often celebrating holidays together.

In 1977, Dan began his career in teaching. He was extremely proud to have taught for over three decades at Hudson Memorial School. Grades six through eight can be a particularly challenging time for students, and Dan was someone who made a real difference. He created safety for his students, made sure everyone felt included, and took a genuine interest in their lives. Teaching is a calling, and in answering that call the way he did for over thirty years, Dan’s legacy lived on well beyond his 2008 retirement from HMS. Dan’s name recently came up on Facebook. A former student was looking to track him down and made a public post about it. Over seventy comments followed from other former students, with many calling Dan “their favorite teacher”, “a kind soul” and “one of their biggest influences.” Dan once said that it’s important to be worthy of the respect that people give you. Without a doubt, he is worthy of the respect that so many have paid him over the years.

Beyond his impact as an educator, Dan was also a tireless public servant. He held positions on trustee boards for the Hills Memorial Library and Hills Farm Cemetery. He was also a member of the Hudson Ethics Committee for many years, serving as it’s chairman in the early 2000’s. Dan’s public service was recognized with his “Hudson Citizen of the Year” award in 1997, bestowed upon him by then New Hampshire Governor, Jeanne Shaheen.

Dan’s most accomplished role in life came as a family man. To his many nieces and nephews, he is remembered fondly as their funny, gregarious “Uncle Poopsie”. To his grandchildren, Reese, Hayden and Gigi, he is remembered as their beloved “Grampy”. To his siblings, Wendy, Sandy, Kevin and the late Mark, he is remembered as their loyal, caring brother “Danny”. To his son, Chris he is simply “Dad”, remembered as a loving father, an ever-present figure in his life, and his most ardent supporter.

Outside of his family and his career, Dan also found enjoyment in life through his many interests. He was a collector of art, antiques and knickknacks. He was an avid family historian, doing extensive research on both his mother and father’s sides of the family and authoring books on each family’s history. He organized several family reunions which attracted relatives from as far as away as England and France. Dan loved his home on Connell Street. He grew up there and moved back into the house later in his life. He took great pride in his home and it was truly his happy place. He especially loved Christmas and would bring the holiday to life each year by elaborately decorating the house. Dan’s favorite thing to do was to enjoy a cup of coffee on his back porch and watch the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood.

Dan was predeceased by his parents, Frederick Hodge and Edith (Young) Hodge, and by his brother, Mark Hodge. He is survived by his son, Christopher Hodge and his wife, Ashlee Hodge of Chatham, NJ; His grandchildren, Reese, Hayden and Georgia “Gigi” Hodge of Chatham, NJ; His sister, Wendy Cato of Morganton, NC; His sister, Sandy Ferreira of Morganton, NC; His brother, Kevin Hodge and his wife, Karen Hodge of Litchfield, NH; and his many other nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

Visiting hours will be held on July 7th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home at 50 Ferry St, Hudson, NH. A Service of Remembrance will be held July 8th at 10:00 a.m. at Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home (Hudson) with burial will follow in Hills Farm Cemetery, Derry Rd. in Hudson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Daniel’s loving memory may be made to workcampNE (189 Charles Bancroft Hwy, Litchfield, NH 03052; TIN 20-8615778). To share an online message of condolence, please visit www.dumontsullivan.com The Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home in Hudson is in charge of arrangements.