Obituary for Charles F. Hodgdon
Charles Flores Hodgdon, 12/9/1946 – 5/15/2020
Charles Hodgdon was born December 9, 1946 to David Hodgdon and Rosaria Flores Hodgdon. They lived in Wakefield Mass. David owned movie theaters and Rosaria was an Italian immigrant and also an architect. His birth was difficult for both mother and child.
Charles had a happy childhood, attended the Lenox School studying Greek and Latin and then graduated Wakefield High School in 1967 where he played trombone in the marching and jazz bands. He was a life Scout and attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Wakefield. He enjoyed idyllic summers at the family camp in Milton New Hampshire and two summers at his cousin’s lemon farm in Naples Italy. He attended Chamberlayne Junior College, for several years.
When he was a teenager epilepsy and schizophrenia showed up in his life. He lived nine years at Danvers State Mental Hospital and then community residences in Wakefield. He felt at home on Main St. He liked to be around but not necessarily to talk. The last twenty years he lived in nursing homes near his brother in Newton.
He liked and trusted his caregivers. When he would hear voices, he would ask someone nearby if they heard them too. If the answer was “no” he could make the voices go away. He would buy the fluffiest stuffed animals for his niece and nephew including a large bear that is now in the possession of his great nephews. He could sketch well and had an artist’s eye for color. He would notice and complement a really nice outfit. But, when someone gave him a compliment, he would turn away in shyness.
He always wanted to go back to Wakefield and more than once walked a dozen miles along Route 128 to visit his childhood home. Afterwards he would walk to the Wakefield Police station and simply ask “can you take me home.” And, they would.
In his last year he lived in tight quarters in a nursing home. When COVID hit, many of his co-patients became infected. His family was not allowed to visit starting about mid-March. He got symptoms on April 21, seemed to recover, and then died at about 6 am on May 15.
Charles is survived by his brother Andrew, his sister-in-law Carol Baumstein and his sister Virginia (now known as Victoria). And also by his nephew Stephen and his wife Renee Morley Hodgdon, and by his niece Sara, her husband Heath Podvesker and their children
Donations may be sent to the Epilepsy Foundation at https://donate.epilepsy.com/donate. Or by mail, Epilepsy Foundation 8301 Professional Place W #230 Landover, MD 20785.
Charles Hodgdon was born December 9, 1946 to David Hodgdon and Rosaria Flores Hodgdon. They lived in Wakefield Mass. David owned movie theaters and Rosaria was an Italian immigrant and also an architect. His birth was difficult for both mother and child.
Charles had a happy childhood, attended the Lenox School studying Greek and Latin and then graduated Wakefield High School in 1967 where he played trombone in the marching and jazz bands. He was a life Scout and attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Wakefield. He enjoyed idyllic summers at the family camp in Milton New Hampshire and two summers at his cousin’s lemon farm in Naples Italy. He attended Chamberlayne Junior College, for several years.
When he was a teenager epilepsy and schizophrenia showed up in his life. He lived nine years at Danvers State Mental Hospital and then community residences in Wakefield. He felt at home on Main St. He liked to be around but not necessarily to talk. The last twenty years he lived in nursing homes near his brother in Newton.
He liked and trusted his caregivers. When he would hear voices, he would ask someone nearby if they heard them too. If the answer was “no” he could make the voices go away. He would buy the fluffiest stuffed animals for his niece and nephew including a large bear that is now in the possession of his great nephews. He could sketch well and had an artist’s eye for color. He would notice and complement a really nice outfit. But, when someone gave him a compliment, he would turn away in shyness.
He always wanted to go back to Wakefield and more than once walked a dozen miles along Route 128 to visit his childhood home. Afterwards he would walk to the Wakefield Police station and simply ask “can you take me home.” And, they would.
In his last year he lived in tight quarters in a nursing home. When COVID hit, many of his co-patients became infected. His family was not allowed to visit starting about mid-March. He got symptoms on April 21, seemed to recover, and then died at about 6 am on May 15.
Charles is survived by his brother Andrew, his sister-in-law Carol Baumstein and his sister Virginia (now known as Victoria). And also by his nephew Stephen and his wife Renee Morley Hodgdon, and by his niece Sara, her husband Heath Podvesker and their children
Donations may be sent to the Epilepsy Foundation at https://donate.epilepsy.com/donate. Or by mail, Epilepsy Foundation 8301 Professional Place W #230 Landover, MD 20785.