Edwin W. Bode Jr.

1922 - 2015

Edwin W. Bode, Jr. March 17, 1922 - September 30, 2015 On Wednesday, September 30, Edwin Bode of San Rafael, CA passed away peacefully at the age of 93 in the home he had lived in for fifty-five years. Ed was born in Denver, CO on March 17, 1922 and six months later his family moved back to San Francisco, CA. He lived in the Richmond District and was active in the Boy Scouts and DeMolay, and graduated from George Washington High School in January, 1940. In February of that year, he joined the American Trust Company (later to become part of Wells Fargo Bank) as a page boy for the company he would retire from 47 years later. He was promoted to Office Boy in the Credit Department until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1942 and served in the Finance Office of the Headquarters of the 31st Infantry Division in New Guinea, Morotai, and Mindanao as part of the liberation of the Philippine Islands. In January 1946, he returned to the Credit Department as a trainee and continued to progress through the ranks and was transferred to Modesto, CA in 1952. Growing up in the City, Ed quickly adjusted to the life in the Central Valley in the 1950's where he helped two brothers, Ernest and Julio, finance their growing wine business which was to become the largest in the country. He was transferred back to the head office in San Francisco in 1960 and assumed a variety of increasing responsibilities culminating in becoming a Vice President and Supervisory Loan Examiner. He parlayed his agricultural experience from Modesto to be responsible for the winery accounts in the Redwood Empire Region; the position he enjoyed the most. He retired in 1987 to spend more time with his wife, Nubia, and do more traveling that they enjoyed whenever they had the opportunity. Not one to sit still, Ed was active in a number or organizations, both professional, social, and charitable. He joined the Credit Managers Association while in Modesto, and was active throughout his career serving in various capacities including Chapter Chairman and a director for Northern and Central California. While in Modesto, he attended the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management at Stanford University from 1957-1959 where he received the Executive Award. He later became President of the National Alumnae Association in 1968. Ed also found time to be active in school and Boy Scout activities for his four sons. Having spent more time than he wanted to camping in the South Pacific, he chose to serve in a variety of behind the scenes roles with Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops in the Marin Council and then at the Executive Board level, becoming Council President for 1974-1975, and later the Chairman of the Council Trust Fund for nearly 20 years. His service was recognized by being awarded the Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow, and the Silver Beaver Award. He was a Master Mason of Mission Lodge of San Francisco, a Knights Templar, and active in the Sons in Retirement (SIRS) and the Wells Fargo Retirement Association. He is survived by three sons, Dick of Lakeport, CA, Ken and his wife, Liz, of Clifton, VA, and Fred of San Rafael, as well as grandsons Robert Bode of Alexandria, VA and Travis Bode, serving in the U.S. Navy in Hawaii. He was predeceased in death by, Nubia, his wife of 55 years in 2003, by a son, Robert, who died in 1988, and daughter-in-law, Paula, who passed away earlier this year. A simple funeral service will be held at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery at 2500 Fifth Avenue in San Rafael at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 10, 2015. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ed's name to the Marin Council of the Boy Scouts of America or to the charity of your choice.