Showing posts with label Tim Hodson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tim Hodson. Show all posts

Monday, November 14, 2011

Farewell to an old dear friend

SACRAMENTO -- I was back in California's capital city Monday to say farewell to an old, dear friend, Tim Hodson, who died recently of brain cancer.

This was the right place to be today.

His funeral was held at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, and the pews were packed in the huge cathedral.

We heard about Tim's character, his impact on public policy as a senior staff consultant in the State Senate, and his mentoring and educating students at Sacramento State where he headed the California Studies Program. We also heard about his love story with Ruth, his wife. I've known both of them before they got together.

We also heard about his faith, his hope for a better world in this world, and his faith that we will see him again, made new, healed of his disease.

Earlier in the day, I got to spend a little time with Ruth. We took her dog for a long walk in Land Park where we've been neighbors for years. This was the right place for me to be.

I am on my way back Monday night. It was good to be here, and it will be good to be back in Charlottesville.

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California State University Sacramento created a special page about Tim. It is entitled "Remembering a Campus Visionary." You can read it HERE.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Remembering my friend Tim

An old friend of mine from my California Capitol days, Tim Hodson, died Tuesday after a long battle with brain cancer. He was smart and funny, gentle and kind, and truly a public servant. He was a true friend who could listen and laugh.

Tim devoted his life to educating and mentoring, and he looked always for how to make the electoral system fair. He was among the few people I know who perked up at discussions of district reapportionment. He was 61.

His wife, Ruth, reported last night that she found this note pinned above his desk on Senate stationery. I share it with you:

Ghandi, on things that will destroy us:


Politics without principle,
pleasure without conscience,
wealth without work,
knowledge without character,
business without morality,
science without humanity,
worship without sacrifice.