William (Bill) Haran Hodgson 

On September 16, 2017 after a short illness, our wonderful Father, Grandfather, Great grandfather and Great-great grandfather passed away.  He was 93 years old.  Bill was born to William Henry Hodgson and Catherine Haran Hodgson on January 17, 1924 in Kalispell, Montana.  He grew up in Kalispell attending St. Mathews Catholic School and Flathead High School (FHS).  At FHS he was active in multiple school activities and scholastic endeavors.  It was at FHS that he was introduced to Carol Lorraine Clark by a fellow classmate.  It was at the Clark family farm in the Flathead Valley where Carol came into view from the barn carrying two milk pails and wearing shorts.  He fell in love forever.  Carol, Bill and Bill’s brother Walter graduated from FHS in 1942. All three enrolled in Montana State College in Bozeman.  Carol chose Nursing, Walter chose Engineering and Bill chose Chemistry as their fields of study.  Soon the war would temporarily separate Bill and Carol.   

In December of 1942, Bill enlisted in the Navy in Seattle with his brother Walter J Hodgson (Aire force) and a friend (Naval Aviation). In July of 1943, he reported for Active Duty to the V-12 UNIT at Carroll Collage in Helena, as an Navy Seaman Apprentice. In July 1944, he was transferred to Midshipman School at Columbia University in New York where he was promoted to Midshipman. In November 1944, as an Ensign, he reported to Scout Intelligence School at the Henry Hudson Hotel, in New York. In April 1945, Bill was transferred to Pearl Harbor for Scouts and Raiders training. Later that year, his entire group transferred to US Navy Group China (SACO) to Camp Knox a Navy Station outside of Calcutta, India where they awaited air transport to Kuhn-Ming or Chunking, China. Bill was in Calcutta when the war ended. In 2015, Bill traveled to Washington DC with his daughter Carol McClellan where he participated in the Honor Flight Program. 

Bill and Carol continued to correspond during the war. They were married at St. Ann’s Cathedral in Great Falls on July 22^nd1946. Carol (who passed in 2010) was the cornerstone of his life. He was as proud of her accomplishments as he was of his own.  After they were married, Bill worked at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. Carol traveled with him working as a nurse. Later that year, they returned to Montana after his separation from the Navy.  Bill attended Montana State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. In 1950, he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from Washington State College (Washington State University). 

In 1951, Bill hired on as a Tech Grad with General Electric (GE) at Hanford and was assigned Corrosion Research. From 1953-1954 he did Vendor Inspection and from 1955-1958 Quality Assurance. Between 1959 and 1962, Bill worked in the Fuels Department for GE becoming Coverage Supervisor until 1965. Battelle hired Bill in 1967 where he worked on Containment Systems until 1970 and Metallurgy from 1971-1973.  He retired from Battelle in 1987 after working in the Atmospheric Sciences Program where he ran the Wind Tunnel for the previous fourteen years.

Bill became active in the Boy Scouts of America growing up in Montana. He achieved the Life Scout rank. When Bill was young, the scoutmaster of his troop joined the armed forces leaving the troop to Bill and his brother Walter.  They kept the troop together before going off to college.  Bill returned to the scouting program at Christ the King Catholic Church, serving in leadership positions in the Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 249. Because he had nine daughters, he felt they needed good trained scouts as husbands.  Bill also served in leadership development programs at Philmont, New Mexico, Wood Badge and Roundtable Training for the Blue Mountain Council.  He was a recipient of the Silver Beaver for his lifelong commitment to Scouting in his community. He was a member of Christ The King Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council 3307 in Richland.

We the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will miss his laughter, memories, gentle spirit, outlook on life, and all his advice. We will always love you.  

William is survived by his Brothers Richard Hodgson, Richland, and Donald Hodgson (Sue), New Braunfels, TX, also his Brother-in- Law Leon Clark, (Pat) Sisters-in-law, Phyllis Claridge, Rita White (Herb), Karen Obermeyer (Bill) of Kalispell, MT.

His Children: Helen Johnson, Anne Clark (Jack), Rita Tiwater, William Hodgson, Robert Hodgson (deceased), Carol McClellan (Doug), Sharon Faubion (Dave), Susan Hodgson, Judy Hodgson (deceased), Mark Hodgson (Connie), Lisa Kitchen (Brooks), Jill Holbrook (Bernard), George Brian Hodgson (deceased).

Grandchildren: Jerry Bailey (Dawn), Shannon Bailey, Paul Johnson (Taisha), Michael Johnson (Anna), Amy Johnson, Bob Weissenfels (Kelly), Michelle Argue (Matt), Heidi Pomeroy (Norm), Jeff Tiwater (Nichole), James Tiwater (Kimberly), Raina Carrick, Marcie Pablo (Mike), George Hodgson (Amber), Will Hodgson, Jennifer McCullugh (Aaron), Rian Fairchild (Heather), Alexis Fairchild, Jody Lizotte (Deen), Urban Faubion (Aneta), Amber Gurtisen (Bo), Brian Hodgson, Christopher Hodgson, (Anya), Jerimiah Johnson, Aaron Johnson (Sandra), Maria Ulbricht (Stephen), Melissa Neal (Casey).

Great Grandchildren:  Sydnie, Shalece, Marcus, Shelby, Ethan, Hayden, Riley, Grae, Meganne, Robby, Adam, Joey, Luke, Liam, Claire, Isabel, Maggie, Silver, Orion, Hailey, Odin, Kaden, Jailee, Jarrett, Kieran, Jaxxon, Amanda, Peter, Michael, Trinity, Aurora, Arianna, Emma-Ann, George KC, Oakley, Sawyer, Will, Stella, Elliot, Kaylee (Austin), Kiah, Braden, Stetson, Addison, Dylan, Odessa, Aura Anne, Nina, Evan, Trent.

Great-Great Grandchildren: Zion, Emmalynn.

Many, Nieces and Nephews in California, Alaska, Washington, Texas, and Montana. 

He was preceded in death by his Wife Carol Lorraine Clark Hodgson, Sons Robert Douglas Hodgson, George Brian Hodgson, and Daughter Judith Michelle Hodgson.

Also, his Brother Walter J. Hodgson, Sister Kay Marie Welling, and Sister-in-law Lynn Choo Hodgson.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00am in Christ The King Church (Richland), followed with a luncheon therein and graveside services at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 2:00pm. The family invites you to attend on Monday, October 9^th.