Russell James Hodges, Jr., 86, of Lake Mills, Iowa, passed away peacefully at his home November 25, 2024.
The family will hold a private graveside service at a later date.
Russel was born May 20, 1938 to Russell Hodges, Sr. and Margaret (Brady) Hodges in Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Russell joined his brother, Robert, to this family. Later, Ronald, Denny, Judy, Gary, Sharry, Gene, and Mike joined the family.
Russ would always say he was from “West Des Moines, NOT Valley Junction”. He attended the West Des Moines Elementary School and Valley High School. He left school at the age of 17 and joined the United States Navy. Here he received his G.E.D.
After being discharged from the Navy, he helped to build basements. He began his railroad career starting as a Rock Island Railroad Clerk and Yard Checker. He then became a brakeman, conductor, and ended his career of twenty years as a railroad engineer. After the Rock Island Railroad folded, he worked two years with the Illinois Central Railroad.
Russ married Kareen Robbins and this marriage ended. He married Janora (Gustafson) Velasquez and they blended nine children: Shawna (Neal) Vaughn, Jamie (Jim) Coady, Kelly (Kristi) Hodges, Kerry Reed, Valerie (Jorge) Calderon, Ronald (Jackie) Velasquez, Robert (Nople) Velasquez, Stephanie (Tim) Shaw, and Vicki (Rich) Leandro. Russ and Janora share 25 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Russ started working at Midwest Meter in Hampton, Iowa. He and his best friend, Norval Korth, started working together, setting tanks as large as 30,000 gallons.
The move to Arizona brought a big change and Russ would say, his favorite job. Here he worked at Marshall Ranch Elementary School as a Maintenance Man. The school voted him Employee of the Year.
After retiring from the school, he and friends started calling a remodeling job with their buddies the “Over The Hill Construction Gang”. What a group of friends this was.
Janora wanted something extra special for their 40th wedding anniversary and she got it. Russ and Janora left Arizona, sold their Sun City home, after twenty-five years and moved to Lake Mills, Iowa.
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