Dr. Alan Scottedward Hodel

Memorial service for Dr. A Scotte Hodel, of Auburn, who died on January 9, 2009 at East Alabama Medical Center after a courageous battle with cancer, will be 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at the Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn. Dr. Hodel was born April 6, 1962 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rev. Greg Key and Rev. John Dale Rector will officiate this celebration service of Dr. Hodel's life. Dr. Hodel is survived by his loving and supportive wife Viva and two precious children: daughter, Kayla and son, Adam all of Auburn. He is also survived by his father, Alan Hodel and his wife Alice of Newburg, Maryland; sisters: Kathy Fatyga and her husband Mirek of Richmond, Virginia, Heather Duke and husband, Larry of Alameda, California; several nieces and nephews. Scotte was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Louise Hodel; sister, Laura Hodel; and brother, Alec Hodel.
Dr. Hodel was an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Auburn University. Dr. Hodel received his BS in Computer Engineering; MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1988, the Harold L. Oleson award was bestowed on him for excellence in teaching undergraduates while working on his PhD at the University of Illinois. As an accomplished educator and engineer, he served as a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He served as advisor for the Auburn University Student Chapter of the IEEE from 2000-2008. He was the Senator from his department for the Auburn University Faculty Senate. He also wrote publications for scholarly conferences in the Electrical Engineering field. Dr. Hodel also was a Visiting Researcher and Summer Faculty Fellow at the Marshall Space Flight Center and Eglin Air Force Base on numerous occasions. One of the highest honors given to Dr. Hodel was in 2007 when he was selected as the Outstanding Teacher, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University. Scotte Hodel had the highest regards for academic excellency in his field of study and he expected that same regard from his students.
Dr. Hodel was a devoted and exemplary husband and father. One of Scotte's passions in his earthly journey was the many children and youth he has taught, mentored, and encouraged down through the years. This passion was evident in his volunteering as a soccer coach; giving of his time to teach science in the home school ministry of Lakeview Baptist Church; and at the time of his death, one of the main teachers in the Youth Ministry of Lakeview. Dr. Hodel was also a skilled musician of the violin. He taught many students the violin over the last 15 years. He was an active and dedicated member of the Lakeview Church orchestra. As an active member of the Lakeview Baptist Church, he was also an Adult Sunday School teacher at one time. He participated in many Youth Camps and Youth Mission trips as a leader. You see, Dr. Hodel loved the Lord God with all of his heart as a committed follower of Jesus Christ. Just as it was said of Jesus in His earthly ministry "…that He did all things well," accordingly, that can be said of Scotte Hodel as well. The family would like to express their appreciation to Dr. Edith Graves and her staff as well as the doctors and staff of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that you make contributions to the Hope Lodge of UAB Hospital or the Lakeview Baptist Church-Benevolence Ministry in Scotte Hodel's memory.
Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.