Richard "Dick" Hodson

Richard Brown Hodson, 85, passed away on January 24, 2021, in Orem, Utah, due to age related illnesses. He was born in Salt Lake City on November 13, 1935, to Rulon Timpson Jeffs and Zola Grace Brown. At birth he was given the name of Rulon Richard Jeffs and went by “Dick” all his life.

Rulon and Zola divorced when Dick was four and his younger brother Dan was about a year old. When he was eight his mother married Waldo Gee Hodson and Dick legally changed his name to Richard Brown Hodson in 1954 and Waldo adopted him in 1965.

His family moved from Salt Lake to Burbank, CA and then to Downey, CA where he graduated from Downey High School in 1954 and began his six years of National Guard service. At age 20 he served a 2.5-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central America Mission. On June 24, 1959, he married his wife, Connie Kerby (over 61 years ago), in the Salt Lake Temple officiated by his grandfather Hugh B. Brown.

After graduating from BYU in the spring of 1960 they moved to Downey, CA where he taught Spanish and math at his high school alma mater. He taught junior high for a year in Ojai, CA before joining the newly created Testing Department at BYU in the fall of 1966. In the mid 1970’s he was an assistant director of computer services at BYU and in 1978 began his decade at Valtek (now Flowserve) in Springville, UT. His love of computers and his entrepreneurial spirit led him into several business ventures culminating with RICON Computers on Center Street in Orem which he ran until his retirement.

Dick and Connie had a busy family life with 11 children, 5 boys and 6 girls (one deceased), 51 grandchildren (two deceased) and 38 great grandchildren (one deceased).

His church service included many callings including home teacher, ward clerk, seventy, scoutmaster, MTC Branch President and temple worker. His later years saw him doing two temple sessions a day, five days a week for several years.

Dick served the community for many years in the Sertoma and Golden K Kiwanis clubs. He held leadership positions in both and enjoyed his years working at the Snack Shack at the Orem Recreation Center. Active in American Legion Orem Post 72, Dick helped provide Military Honors for many.

A man of many interests, Dick added a small engine to a tandem bicycle and rode it to work in the 1980’s. He ran 5k races and the St. George Marathon in his later years as well.

Dick had a talent for whistling. For over 50 years, he sang and whistled with the Mendelssohn Male Chorus all over Utah. He also sang and whistled with a smaller all male group called the Good Time Singers.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jim Hodson; daughter, Maria; grandsons, Daniel Blackburn and Luke Hodson; great granddaughter, Andrea Baird. Survived by many including his wife Connie, sister Marie Sampson, brother Dan (Wilma) Jeffs, sister-in-law Gaylene Hodson; sons, Richard (Dorothea), Hugh, Robert (Kristine), James (Kimber), Daniel (Emily) and daughters, MiLinda (Greg) Hudnall, Laurel (Steve) Coburn, Jodi (Harley) Blackburn, Conna (Chris) Olsen, Marie (Peter) Glahn.

A viewing will be held on Friday evening, January 29, 2021, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Walker Sanderson Funeral Home 646 E 800 N Orem, Utah, masks required. Due to the pandemic, funeral services with limited seating (99) will be held Saturday, January 30, 2021, at 1:00 pm at the red church, 641 S 400 E Orem, Utah (near Scera Shell).

All are welcome to view live streaming of the funeral at www.walkersanderson.com where memories and condolences can also be shared. Those wishing to attend the grave dedication service following the funeral are welcome. Interment will be at the Orem City Cemetery, 1520 N 800 E Orem, Utah with Military Honors.