 On The Line -- Issue 623 -- February 23, 2007  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 623 -- February 23, 2007 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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It was a retirement dinner, a birthday party, and a coming together of many friends. But most of all, it was an outpouring of deep affection for John R. Hodges as he left public service for private life.
Hodges announced last year that he would not seek re-election as County Clerk/Auditor/Registrar of Voters for San Benito County, a post to which he was first elected in 1982. He made a run for the Fourth Supervisorial District in last year's primary but was unsuccessful. His friends thought Feb. 16, his birthday, would be a good time for his farewell dinner. Joe Paul Gonzalez, who succeeded Hodges as county clerk, Lillian Pereira and other members of the staff booked San Juan Oaks for the dinner, sent out invitations for the occasion and planned a program. Gonzalez, with help from wife Irma, put together a slide show that synchronized the lyrics from a song about a cowboy resisting retirement with many pictures of Hodges from boyhood to the present. Although the dinner was not widely advertised, word of it spread quickly and roughly 170 tickets were sold by early in February. Many were bought by Hodges' friends in county government but other friends also came. The honoree and wife Peg Hodges showed up well before 6 p.m. to greet the guests and the large dining room was filling up well before 6:15. Some guests had not seen others for awhile and the conversation went back and forth. Everyone managed to get a few words with Hodges and at times his head was moving in many directions almost simultaneously to keep up with everyone. Among those circulating were Josie Gallegos, Geri Johnson, Phyllis Lanini, Aurelia Rodriguez, Linda Fine (who frequently went back to her table to see how her father, Walter Fine, was doing), Ron and Cathy Johnson, and Talia Gonzalez. Ruth Michaelson Cunningham was there with her daughter and her husband, Ed and Kris Waller. Realtors Ray and Peggy Pierce came, too. She had been his bookkeeper when he had a tire shop before running for county clerk. Many former mayors of Hollister also showed up. In addition to Gonzalez, Leonard Poletti with wife Bev, Robert Scattini and Fernando Gonzalez were there to honor Hodges, himself a former mayor. The Hollister Exchange Club had quite a contingent there to pay respects to Hodges, a long-time member. In addition to Poletti, members and wives included Eddie Falconi, Gary and Margaret Nicklaus, Tom and Barbara Ament, Rick and Angela Shelton, Jason and Frankie Arballo, Gary and Mimi Guerrra, Gene and Dianne Francis, Robert and Sheila Stevens, and David Ortiz. The Jolly Boys, a social group of which Hodges is a member, turned out to honor him as well. In addition to Poletti, Scattini and Fernando Gonzalez, John Sander was there with wife Donna, Ron Rodrigues with wife Dianne, Tom Breen with wife Karen, and Herman Wrede. Many county officials and staff members and their spouses came to pay their respects: Tom Slavich, Lupe Maldonado, Martha Crum, Vivian Candlen, Marge and Phil Riopel, Cindy and Anthony Silva, Della Silva, Monty Bryan, Rita Leon, Stefanie Leon, Linda and Gary Churchill and many others. Also present were those he is mostly closely associated with his family. Daughter Joyce Medeiros and husband Luciano could spend only a short time with her parents during the reception. However, son Mike Hodges stayed for the entire evening with wife Lynne, as did daughter Donna Rider with husband Jeff. Grandchildren Steven and Jacob Cabral added another generation. John's sister, Anne Strickland, and husband Jim were there. Also present were his brothers, Dennis; Larry and wife Susan; and James, accompanied by wife Renee. Lynne Hodges' parents, Russell and Barbara Jeffries, attended as well. Jeffries, a former mayor of Salinas, has often helped in tallying local votes on Election Night. Diners had three options for their dinner: steak, chicken, or vegetables only. Of those who ate (some came to pay respects and left without eating), 117 chose steak, and 42, chicken. There were no takers for the vegetables only. At one table near the entrance were Fulton Picetti, Harold Cerrato, and John and Audrey Franco. All have lived here for a long time, notably Picetti, who will be 91 in August. Among other topics they discussed while eating were earlier generations of some prominent local people. Sonny Flores, who arrived late in the evening because of duties at work, found a seat with them. Many friends present were from Hodges' public career but a good number were those he had known for years. Couples such as Arnold and Terry Fontes, Herman and Cecile Fehl, Ernie and Mary Lou Andrade, Rick and Mary Edge, Curtis and Ellen Hill, and Tony and Kathy Ruiz he has known for a long time. After dinner, Joe Paul Gonzalez conducted the program in which many people came forward to present Hodges with plaques and certificates from many official agencies. They included Anthony Botelho, Tom Breen, Steve Sanders, Robert Scattini, Carina Chavez of Representative Sam Farr's staff, and Robert Rivas of Assemblywoman Anna Caballero's staff. David Edge led off the speakers. Now the chief administrative officer of San Luis Obispo County, he held a similar post here in the 1980s and ?90s. He and Hodges worked closely together in coordinating restoration of services and in getting help for the area in the wake of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Edge, who had driven up with wife Anna-Magee Edge, is thought to have traveled the farthest for the event. But whether from far or near, everyone there came with the purpose of honoring an esteemed friend. Amelia Gonzalez, mother of Joe Paul and Fernando Gonzalez, beamed and applauded at the tributes paid to Hodges, and daughter Elizabeth Callahan and husband Joe Callahan also responded similarly. The phrase, "the end of an era," was used several times during the evening. Although over-use has made it trite, it seemed to apply to Hodges' tenure of office. Having been appointed the county's auditor while still in his 20s, he served Hollister as a councilman and mayor in his 30s and 40s, then as county clerk for nearly a quarter of a century. His is the third longest tenure in the latter office, bested only by Elmer Dowdy and Ralph Towle. Hodges was the last county clerk of the 20th Century and the first of the 21st. He also gets a footnote as the only San Benito County Clerk to serve in two millennia. But those attending were not thinking in those terms that evening. They had come to show their affection and esteem for a cherished friend and did so remarkably. John Hodges said afterwards, "I knew I had a lot of friends. What I didn't know is how deeply they felt about me." |
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