Neal Hodges

Neal Henderson Hodges, Jr. CHARLOTTE - Neal Henderson Hodges, Jr., 91, joined his beloved wife, Minnie, in the church eternal on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. Neal was born in Raleigh in December 1922 to Neal H. Hodges, Sr. and Sarah Eason Hodges. He attended Lewis Elementary School, graduated from Needham Broughton High School in 1940, and entered the school of engineering at North Carolina State University in the fall of that year. His education at NCSU was interrupted by Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Neal enlisted in the Army Signal Corps in 1942, and after various training assignments was promoted to Corporal. He subsequently attended Officer Candidate School in Fort Monmouth, N.J., where he graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1944. His first assignment was training troops in heavy telephone pole line construction in Fort Dix, N.J. In 1945, he was reassigned to the Panama Canal Department of the Caribbean Defense Command as the Post Signal Officer of Quarry Heights, Canal Zone. Subsequently, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, designated officer in charge of planning, construction, and maintenance of all military telephone and telegraph facilities in the Canal Zone. In 1946, he was discharged from active duty and appointed to Officers Reserve Corps. In September 1946 Neal resumed his education at NCSU, and in June 1948 he received a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering. While at NCSU he was a charter member of Sigma Chi, a social fraternity, and a member of Eta Kappa Nu, and honorary electrical engineering association. After graduation, Neal was employed by Southern Bell Telephone Company as an engineer. His first assignment was in the District Engineer's office in Raleigh. While there in 1953, he met and married Minnie Howard. After six years, he was promoted and transferred to Southern Bell's North Carolina Area Headquarters in Charlotte in 1954. While there he served in many phases of the business; such as cable and pole line extension, long range planning of central offices, and budget management. After thirty-five years of service and several promotions, he retired from Southern Bell at the end of 1983 as the District Manager of Program Planning. After moving to Charlotte, Neal and Minnie became active members of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Minnie, a professional nurse, was active in the nursery and in Sunday school, teaching children. Later, she ministered to the elderly and shut-ins. In the name of the church, Neal and Minnie (separately and together) delivered meals for Friendship Trays from its inception in 1979 until their deaths. From 1957 until 1997, Neal was active in the leadership of Westminster. During this time he was a Deacon, an Elder, Clerk of the Session, and a Trustee. Also, he was chairman of many committees, including the Stewardship Committee, Finance Committee, Shepherding Committee, and Administrative Committee. He was the Secretary of Men of the Church, and for five years, he was Institutional Representative for Troop 44, Boy Scouts of America. After 1997, health problems limited his activity. Neal is survived by three children, a son Mark and his wife, Betty and their son, James of Sumter, S.C.; and two daughters, Cynthia Thompson of Huntersville and Cassandra Brown and her children, Lauren and Ryan Brown of Greensboro. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 101 Colville Road, Charlotte, NC 28207; to Hospice & Palliative Care, 1420 E. 7th St., Charlotte, NC 28204; or to Friendship Trays, 2401-A Distribution St., Charlotte, NC 28203. The family will receive friends from 6 - 8 p.m. Thursday, March 20th, at Harry and Bryant, 500 Providence Road. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, March 21st at Westminster Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Trevor Smith officiating. Entombment will be private at Sharon Memorial Park. Condolences may be offered at www.HarryandBryantFuneralHome.com.