Charles Horace Dodge

1910 - 2006

Charles Horace Dodge May 10, 1910 January 15, 2006 No services are scheduled at this time and a Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a date to be determined for former Sheriff Charles H. Dodge who passed into eternity on January 15, 2006. Charlie was born in Brentwood, Contra Costa County, CA on May 10, 1910. He came to Kern County in 1923. Charlie attended local schools including KCUHS and Bakersfield College. He joined the Bakersfield Police Department as a patrolman in 1937 and advanced through civil service in 1950 to the rank of Assistant Police Chief, a position he held for 16 years during the tenure of the late Chief Horace Grayson. During World War II he served as an Intelligence Agent for the U. S. Coast Guard. Charlie took a three month leave of absence from the Police Department in 1966 to campaign for the office of Kern County Sheriff. He successfully defeated the incumbent and took office in January 1967. He was re-elected by a large margin in 1970, serving a total of eight years as County Sheriff. During his tenure he established the County's first helicopter patrol; was the first sheriff to operate the Kern Industrial Farm at Lerdo and changed it's name to the Lerdo Facility. He was also responsible for establishing the first county-wide narcotic task force which included other local agencies. With the assistance of the Kern H.S. Adult School, he established the first inmate vocational and academic classes. He also reestablished the abandoned "Explorer" scout program under the direction of the late then Sgt. Marvin Oliver. It was recognized as one of the state's finest. Charlie held memberships in numerous law enforcement organizations, including the California State Sheriff's Assoc., California Peace Officers' Assoc. and the FBI California Chapter of the National Academy Associates (of which he was past president). He was a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and was an active member and past president of the Kern County Shrine Club. He was also an active member and past president of Chapter 21 of the Retired Public Employees' Assoc. One of his greatest joys was being a 20 year active lifetime member of the Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse. After his first wife Letha's untimely death from cancer at the age of 46, Charlie married Mary Holman, Bakersfield's first woman police officer. Charlie is survived by Mary; one daughter, Joan Shannon and her husband, Hollis; grandsons, Chuck and Dan Shannon; great- grandchildren, Brock, Carly and Leah Shannon and one great-great-grandchild Isaiah Ortiz. He will also be missed by his trustworthy trail horse "McDougal". Special thanks to the Optimal Hospice nurse, Selena Sherman and to the staff at Glenwood Gardens. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Charlie's memory to Optimal Hospice or to the Bakersfield Police Memorial Fund or the Kern County Sheriff's Benefit Association. No visitation is scheduled. Greenlawn Mortuary Funeral Directors Legacy.com