John Howard Hodges

1947 - 2025

John Howard Hodges

December 10, 1947 - August 1, 2025

John Howard Hodges was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend who dedicated his life to improving the lives of others. He died on August 1, 2025 in his Ashland home surrounded by his family and the heartfelt support of his friends and community after a fourteen-year fight with cancer.

Born on December 10, 1947 in Fort Dix, New Jersey to Col. John and Elizabeth Ames Hodges, he grew up between continents with his younger brother Charley, including years in London, England and Heidelberg, Germany. This childhood abroad inspired his lifelong interest in history and the arts, his love of food and travel, a talent for soccer, and a worldliness that meant no one was a stranger for long.

In 1966, he graduated from Arundel High School in Maryland and then entered the University of Virginia on a ROTC scholarship. He was a letterman in soccer in 1968. In December 1969, on an invitation to the Holly Ball in Williamsburg, Virginia, he met the love of his life, Vandi. Their 55 years of true love began that night and they married the next year on December 27, 1970. After four years with the Army's First Infantry Division and the birth of his first son, Ames, in 1972, he returned to Charlottesville to finish a Master's in Urban Planning.

First working for Harland Batholomew and Associates in Richmond and welcoming the birth of his second son, Ben, in 1977, John began a lifetime career of public service in 1980 when he joined the Hanover County Planning Department. In 1982, he became Director of Planning and moved his family to Ashland. In 1998, he was appointed Deputy County Administrator and served until his retirement in 2010. As an advocate for maintaining a balance between growth and Hanover's rural character, he was known for his patient leadership, his willingness to sit and talk with anyone, and his firm belief in fairness.

In retirement, he devoted time to his hobbies of sailing, printmaking, watching his birds, meeting with friends, travelling the world, and eating great meals. As his family expanded, so did his palate. Thanks to his daughters-in-law, Yumiko and Crystal, he added the joys of sharing yakiniku in Japan and Yum Cha in Macao to Virginia blue crabs, oysters, and deviled eggs. His grandson, Yugo, grew up learning from his strength of character and is continuing the tradition of college soccer, while his granddaughter, Gisela, brought new love and light to his life since her birth in October 2024.

His dedication to serving the community continued after retirement as a volunteer and leader at the local Habitat for Humanity and as a member of the Kiwanis Club. He was proud to serve the town and you could often find him on the streets of Ashland or at the market, eager to say hello and share a kind word. He was appointed to Ashland Town Council in 2017 then elected in 2018, serving as vice-mayor from July 2018 until July 2025. As a Councilmember, he championed projects to improve the town, such as Carter Park Pool and the new Town Hall all while maintaining its unique character. He was particularly involved with the Fall Line Trail project and was recognized by the Central Virginia Transportation Authority in 2025 for his lifetime achievements.

John was preceded in death by his father and mother, Col. John Hodges and Edna Elizabeth (Lib) Ames Hodges, his brother, Charles (Charley) Thomas Hodges and his father- and mother-in-law, George Kidder Potts and Anne Devereaux Potts. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Vandivere (Vandi) Potts Hodges, of Ashland, VA; his son, John Ames Hodges and his wife, Yumiko Yamamoto-Hodges, and their son, Yugo Z. Yamamoto-Hodges, of New York City, NY; his son, Benjamin Kidder Hodges and his wife, Crystal Wai Man Chan, and their daughter Gisela Chan Hodges of Macao, China; as well as his sisters- and brother-in-law, Mary Ellen Norrisey Hodges of Williamsburg, VA, Edith Potts Adams of Houston, TX, and Robert Eric and Helen Potts Comet of Richmond, VA along with his nieces and nephews and their children.

It is a rare life that touches so many without seeking praise or reward, a rare example of strength and resolve. A celebration of his life will be held on August 9th at 4pm at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center on 500 S Center Street in Ashland, VA. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages early cancer screening as well as donations to support prostate cancer research (https://www.pcf.org/donate/) or the Hanover & King William County Habitat for Humanity (https://www.hkwhabitat.org/donate-2/).