James Edward Hodge

James Edward Hodge of Danville, Virginia, went home to be with his Lord on Sunday, March 24, 2024. Born May 20, 1943, James was the son of James Avery Hodge and Ora Dalton Hodge who predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Lindre Bowling Hodge, his daughter, Katherine Hodge Patterson, both of Danville, and his granddaughter, Katherine Holland Patterson (Holly) of Knoxville, Tennessee, his sister Carol Hodge Hudgins and brother-in-law Barry Lee Hudgins, nephews Barry Lee Hudgins, II and wife Amber, Richard James Hudgins and wife Merrill and their children Rachel, Richard and Rebecca. He is also survived by his chocolate lab, Reese, rescued from a tornado in Appomattox, Virginia. He was a Quality Assurance Engineer for Goodyear Danville and was Manager of the Chemical and Physical Testing Labs and the DOT Lab. After his retirement from Goodyear, he became a full-time volunteer with God’s Pit Crew and logged almost 25,000 volunteer hours before his illness. He traveled with God’s Pit Crew to every major disaster across the United States and assisted with numerous site clean-ups, renovations and rebuilds. He was Treasurer of God’s Pit Crew, a Director and then Director Emeritus. He received numerous awards for his tireless efforts to serve our community as well as communities in multiple states. In 2017 his service was acknowledged by Resolution presented to him by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2020 God’s Pit Crew created a Hero Award for the volunteer most representing the qualities and commitment to the mission of God’s Pit Crew and James was the first recipient. We would like to express our deep appreciation to our dear family, friends, God’s Pit Crew, David Henderson, the staff of Mountain Valley Hospice and countless others that have gone above and beyond to show James and our family so much love and been so supportive to James and us as we have tried to navigate this difficult illness. A celebration of life will be held at God’s Pit Crew, 132 Brentwood Drive, Danville, Virginia, on Thursday, March 28, 2024, with visitation from 12:30 to 1:45 and the service to begin at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to God’s Pit Crew. Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel is serving the Hodge Family.

James Edward Hodge

May 20, 1943 - March 24, 2024