Loyd Hodges

May 23, 1928 – December 31, 2018

Loyd Hodges ascended to heaven to reunite with the love of his life, Theda Hodges, on the last morning of 2018.

He was 90 years old, thriving and enjoying breakfast with friends at Biscuits Restaurant when he had a heart attack. Although his sudden passing was a shock to all, the surroundings were a lovely reflection of how he lived. He was out socializing with people he cared about, immersed in lively conversation, and at home within the walls of his favorite spot—where he knew the staff’s names and they greeted him with hugs.

Family and friends will gather to remember Loyd at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 12, 2019. This memorial celebration will take place at another of his “second homes,” Arizona Community Church, 9325 South Rural Road, Tempe, AZ 85284. Whether you’re family, a friend or a passing acquaintance (Loyd would consider you a friend), we hope to see you there. No one will be a stranger, which is just how Loyd would have it.

Loyd began life in Delano, California, the fourth of 11 children born to John and Iva Hodges. The family moved quite a bit, living briefly in New Mexico and Colorado but always returning to Bisbee and nearby areas of Arizona. Circumstances were sometimes difficult and money was always tight—Loyd’s dad worked in the copper mines—but love was abundant. Loyd’s mom was a force of nature: strict, matter-of-fact to a fault, side-splittingly funny and unashamedly determined to “spoil” the children, not with material goods but simply with affection. Loyd certainly carried these qualities forward in the man he became.

During high school Loyd and his brother Dan worked part time at a pool hall and cigarette shop. Loyd also left school early on Fridays so he could hitchhike to work on a farm for the weekend. He graduated from Bisbee High School in 1946 and then worked various farming, mining and construction jobs before joining the US Navy. One of his most memorable experiences was as part of a repair crew on the famous “Million Dollar Highway” at a nearly 8,000 foot elevation near Silverton, Colorado.

We don’t know which came first—Loyd’s fascination for airplanes or his deployment overseas on the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, where he worked as a parachute rigger. He was also stationed in San Diego before completing his service. Around that time he reconnected with an early sweetheart named Jean McCarley. In typical Loyd fashion, he’d become good friends with Jean’s parents years earlier, while working at their hamburger stand in Bisbee. He and Jean married and lived in Arizona with their two children, Ilene and Doug, before divorcing a few years later.

Loyd began working at Air Research in Phoenix in 1955. (The company was known in subsequent years as Garrett Corporation, and now as part of Honeywell.) Over time he came to supervise the tools inventory, a demanding position in the large manufacturing company. Again, in typical Loyd fashion, whether his relationship to co-workers was junior or equal or supervisor, he developed on-the-job friendships that lasted throughout life.

Back in 1940, when Loyd was about twelve years old, he and Dan had attended some Lowell Women’s Club revival meetings and that’s when he became a Christian. Fast forward 25 years or so and his love for the Lord led him to the love of his life, Theda Alverta Jackson. They met at church in Phoenix. At the time Theda had three children, Tryone, Ron and Gary, and a two-year old grandchild, Marcia. To say they all became part of Loyd’s family when he and Theda married isn’t quite accurate. They became part of his family from the moment he met Theda. In fact, Loyd invited Theda’s granddaughter to come along on their dates before the pair tied the knot in 1967.

Loyd and Theda settled on what was then “the edge of town” near the Phoenix airport. Theda worked at a title company and Loyd continued working at Garrett Corporation until 1985. They were closely involved with all their children and grandchildren and offered special supports to the family any time they were needed. In turn, they were blessed by those relationships.

Loyd and Theda’s home was always open and their presence always available for short or long periods of time, whether due to a need or just for fun. When Tryone was a single, working mom they provided child care for Marcia. She also lived with them as a teen, working with Theda at the title company. And when she was a single, working parent herself, they’d help by including her son Brenan in their vacations. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a “chore”—they adored his and every one of their grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s company.

When Loyd and Theda retired, they spent time traveling the country and taking their family on treasured adventures, from teaching Brenan to fish at Dogtown Lake in Williams, Arizona to watching the Kentucky Derby in Louisville with Tryone. After Theda passed away in 2001, Loyd continued to travel. His wanderings included an overseas adventure with Tryone to tour Israel’s Holy Land. He loved to drive (especially with gospel music cranked up to “volume ten”) and made many long road trips to visit family.

Arizona Community Church was one of Loyd’s passions from the day its doors opened. The staff and volunteer organizing his memorial celebration are also his good friends. He was deeply involved in the In-Joy senior ministry and volunteered thousands of hours at ACC over two decades, serving as a greeter (“in typical Loyd fashion”), a “Dust Angel” cleaning the building, visiting people in the hospital at home, and many other roles. Perhaps he’s most famous for being the annual Harvest Festival’s Sheriff, complete with boots, badge and ten-gallon hat; although his role as Historian for the Old Farts Coffee Club runs a close second.

Loyd always chose to live large and stay busy. In addition to his work at ACC, he volunteered weekly at the airport USO Center, praying with soldiers just before they were deployed and when they’d arrived on their way back home. When Loyd was at home himself, he spent as much time as possible with his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and, yes, great-great grandchildren. On more than one recent occasion, he said he’d never thought of himself as being old until he realized his granddaughter was a grandmother. His love of aircraft persisted and showed up undeniably when he decided to build a Long EZ Airplane himself—in the back yard.

People speak of Loyd in superlatives. His siblings call him a “sweetheart” and “agreeable” and say, “If you needed something and he knew about it, he would try to help you get what you needed.” (They remind us he had a dose of mischief in his personality too.) He was a wonderful father, a loving and supportive dad to his five children and their expanding families. Loyalty stands out as a leading characteristic: to his family, his church, his career, his friends, and even his favorite restaurants.

And let’s not forget he was a master storyteller with a wicked sense of humor. Bisbee in the ‘30s and ‘40s was the Wild Wild West, no doubt, and Loyd would often throw down colorful stories to illustrate what it was like. Most of them were mostly true.

Above all, Loyd was joyful, optimistic, outgoing, friendly and boisterous. Ask anyone about him and they’ll say, “He never met a stranger,” “He could talk to anyone,” or “Everyone he ever met was a friend.” There’s no way to count how many times people have described his smile as “lighting up” or even “filling the room,” more so even than his booming voice and indelible laugh. We know his life was truly well lived. The only question he leaves behind is “Who will step up to become the friendliest man on the planet now?”

The rest of us may not be able to tell stories with Loyd’s flair or finesse, but we can say what’s on our minds in our own words and express our love for him. Please use this page to share anything you’d like with Loyd’s friends and our family. We appreciate each of you.

Loyd’s siblings

Dan Hodges, Loraine Anderson and John Hodges; and Doug Hodges, Ralph Hodges, Muriel Higgins, Carroll DeFord, Pat Canepa, Gwen West and Jo Ann Shumaker (deceased)

Children

Ilene Grawberg and husband Bruce, Doug Hodges, Tryone Christian (deceased), Ron Burnett and wife Sherri, Gary Burnett

Grandchildren

Marcia McGovern and husband Mike, Bob Burnett and wife Michelle, Rad Burnett and wife Jenn, Eric Christian and fiancé Mandy Arranyos, Tara Burnett, Jeremy Burnett, Suzi Tryonas and husband Jim, Robert Grawberg and wife Rebekah, Travis Hodges

Great-grandchildren

Brenan Jiran and wife Kylee, Riana Burnett, Zachary Burnett, Brandon Burnett, Morgan Burnett, Quinten Burnett, Corbin Christian, Peyton Christian, Colten McGovern, Hayden McGovern, Katie Tryonas, Alyssa Grawberg, Samuel Grawberg

Great-great grandchildren

Levi Jiran, Vince Jiran, Jack Jiran