Larry Hodge

1946 - 2015

LARRY HODGE With his family by his side, Larry Hodge lost his long battle with cancer on April 30, 2015. He is survived by his wife Kathy and their two sons Cameron and Brennan, and the countless lives that he touched in his lifetime. Larry was born on Dec. 5, 1946 to Harry & Edith Hodge in Chicago, Illinois. The family moved to Southern California in his senior year of high school. Larry took to the California lifestyle and never looked back. After graduating from CSU Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Larry began his career in the food service industry in 1976 working for the McDonald's Corporation in the Los Angeles region as a Manager Trainee. Catching the eye of Corporate after working his way up from management trainee to the Area Supervisor, he then accepted the position of Franchise Consultant. He continued to rise through the ranks to the position of Director of Operations, overseeing 310 franchise and corporate stores in the Los Angeles area. In 1981 Larry received the President's award, an award only awarded to the top 1% of the international restaurant chain's employees. It was during his time with McDonald's that he met his best friend and wife Kathy. After serving as VP of operations for the La Petite Boulangerie bakery chain and later as Senior VP of Operations for the Rocky Rococo Pizza Corporation, Larry and Kathy opened their first Papa Murphy's franchise in 1989 in Fortuna California. Over the next 26 years together they grew their business beyond Fortuna into 7 states and over 60 stores. Larry was an avid golfer and a regular at Baywood Golf & Country Club where he made countless friends and served as President in 2000. Larry Hodge was an honest and self-made man with a strong moral compass who will be greatly missed by his wife, children, in-laws, countless nephews, nieces and friends. A loving husband, wonderful father and a good man was taken from us too soon. There will be a "Going Away Party" for Larry on June 27th at Baywood Golf & Country Club from 3 - 6 pm for those who would like to come and help send him off in style. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com under obituaries.