Date de Décès: 2003-09-10
Date de Parution: 2003-09-30
Source: The Drumheller Mail, AB
Hodge: Brian 1951 - 2003 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, husband, brother, uncle and friend, Brian Thomas Hodge, on September 10, 2003. Brian was born on August 18 of 1951, in Drumheller, AB. He attended Morrin School, graduating in 1969, and continued on to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, AB. He returned to the family farm in 1971, where he joined his father and pursued his other interests of rodeoing and curling. In 1973, he moved to the Big Valley area, where he helped to expand the family farm. On December 2, 1978, he married his wife, Joanne, in Drumheller. Thus they started their twenty-four and a half years together farming in the Rumsey/Big Valley area. There they raised their two children, Tyrel Jackson Hodge, born on November 29, 1980, and Raynell Cristine Hodge born on April 7, 1984; both born in Drumheller. Brian's first love was bull riding through which he competed in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association from 1972-78. Placing eleventh in the standings in 1977, he narrowly missed qualifying in the Canadian Finals Rodeo. Brian finished his bull riding career at the Calgary Stampede in 1978. After hanging up his bull riding spurs, Brian and his wife, Joanne, began competing in the Central Alberta Team Roping Association. In 1988, they competed in the Alberta and Canadian Team Roping Finals in Grande Prairie where they placed in the top five. In the winter, Brian excelled at curling, winning many bonspiels, and at the peak of his career in 1995, he competed in the zone playdowns, held in Rumsey, AB. There, he won the right to compete in the Southern Alberta Playdowns where he and his team were noted to be the "Lesser Lights" of the playdowns. Against all odds, he continued on to win a berth in the Safeway Select Provincial Playdowns in Edmonton, AB. He curled in the Canadian Cattlemen's Association for many years, and once again he was victorious, winning the bonspiels in 2000 and 2001. During the summer months, most of his spare time was spent on the golf course with his many friends and his family, and once again he never failed to win various tournaments. Brian was involved in many clubs and sports: Rumsey/Rowley 4H, Big Valley Elks, baseball and hockey, he was an accomplished skier and card player, and enjoyed visiting friends all over Alberta. It seemed that no matter which town you drove into, he always seemed to know someone... and if he didn't, he would ask. Brian is survived by Joanne, his devoted and loving wife, his children, Tyrel Hodge of Sylvan Lake, and Raynell Hodge of Calgary; sisters Maureen (Lorne) Howard of Innisfail, Peggy (Jim) Freeman of Olds, Marianne Hodge of Vulcan, Joanne (Richard) Schinnour of Drumheller, Gloria (Fred) Adams of Caroline, Betty (Tim) Primrose of Rumsey; brother Doug (Lorna) Hodge of Rumsey; mother-in-law Shirley Ilcisin of Drumheller; sisters-in-law Sharon (Phil) Wright of Red Deer, Sheila (Bruce) Hendriks of Australia, and Karen Sanchez of Calgary; and many nieces and nephews, and great nephew. He is predeceased by his mother, Beulah (1996), his father, Aubrey Hodge (1998), father-in-law, Joseph Ilcisin (1996), and niece, Christina (1984). Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, September 15 of 2003 at the Jubilee Hall in Big Valley, AB. Interment followed at the Rumsey Cemetery. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to S.T.A.R.S. or the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation in lieu of flowers. Stettler Funeral Home Ltd. 1-403-742-3422 entrusted with the care and arrangements.