William Martin Hodge

William Martin Hodge 1923-2011 Funeral service for William Martin Hodge, age 87 of Princeton, will be Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 at 1:30 PM at the Skyline Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel in Monee, IL. Rev. Michael Hodge will officiate. Burial will follow in the Skyline Memorial Park Cemetery on Jun 15, 2011. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at the Skyline Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel. Mr. Hodge passed away on Saturday, Jun 11, 2011 at The Illinois Veteran's Home- in LaSalle. He was born on Oct 07, 1923 in Ewing, IL to Raymond and Jewell (Martin) Hodge. He married Mildred Perysian on January 19, 1954 in Lacon. She died December 23, 2007. William was a veteran of World War II serving from January 1943 to January 1946 in the 877th Airborne Engineer Aviation Battalion (Gilder Division). His battalion arrived for action in Normandy in July 1944. He attained the rank of sergeant. After the war he spent five years in the Merchant Marines on the Great Lakes. In 1959 he moved to Steger, IL. He worked for many years as a carpenter, also serving 20 years as the Village Clerk of Steger and several more years as Village Trustee of Steger. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 5 years. Upon retiring, he and Millie moved to Princeton in 1993. He has spent the last two years of life in area adult care facilities. In his many years in both Steger and Princeton, William was very involved in local and state politics, not only in public office but campaigning tirelessly during each election cycle even into his early eighties. He served many times as a Democratic Precinct Chairman. Most of his nephews and nieces can remember being put to work handing out pamphlets door to door as young children if they were visiting Uncle Bill in Steger and an election was close at hand. One of the highlights of his political activity was being a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. Another, was meeting all three Democratic Presidents of the 60's and 70's (Kennedy, Johnson and Carter). In his spare time, he enjoyed following the lives of his nephews, nieces and their families. He also enjoyed traveling, fishing, and hunting. He was a member of several fraternal organizations. Survivors include one stepson, Versle (Mary) Brimmer of Radcliff, Kentucky; two brothers, Raymond (Betty) Hodge of Princeton and John (Donna) Hodge of Shabbona; Sisters, Annie Rauba of Momence, Marietta (Jim) Rashid of Princeton, and Judy (Robert) Stepanek of Muscatine, Iowa; 6 nephews and 5 nieces. He was preceded in death by his, parents, wife and one sister Minnie Jo Vigen. Memorials may be directed to Vitas Hospice.

William Martin Hodge

October 7, 1923 - June 11, 2011