Obit: Hodnett, Harold Harvey #2 (1922 - 2006)

Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Surnames: Hodnett, Wolter, Kuehn, Swiggum, Drost, Abramczak, Anderson, Boening, Spaeth, Biddle, Toya, Wiernasz, Vaka, Vigil, Zukowski, Lutze, Kobylarczyk

----Sources: Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI) May 17, 2006

Hodnett, Harold Harvey (August 9, 1922 - May 6, 2006)

Harold Harvey Hodnett, age 83, died at 5:30 a.m., Saturday, May 6th, 2006, at the Veterans Medical Center in Tomah. After several years of declining health, he passed peacefully from this life. An avid fisherman, it is somehow appropriate that it was the opening day of fishing. His spirit is on a lake somewhere in a better place.

Harold was born August 9, 1922, in the Town of Longwood, the son of Lynn and Esther (Wolter) Hodnett. He received his early education at the Poppe School and was a graduate of Withee High School. After graduation he worked in the wheat fields of North Dakota, as well as various jobs in Winnetka, Illinois and Minneapolis.

He served in the U. S. Army during WWII as a member of the 252nd Field Artillery Battalion in the European Theater in France and Germany. After the war, he returned home to the Town of Longwood.

On October 30, 1948, he was united in marriage to Eileen Kuehn at the United Church of Christ in Greenwood. The couple farmed in the Town of Longwood until 1968 when they decided to auction off the equipment and herd. He worked at Presto Industries in Eau Claire for five years until gaining a position at the Clark County Health Care Center. He was a herdsman and field worker at the County Farm until his retirement in 1985.

He was a well-known ice fisherman for many years. He could be seen at the area lakes most every day for many years. He was a member of the Thorp American Legion Post #118. During the summer months he spent his time growing an ever expanding garden. He enjoyed the country life, cutting his own wood until his late seventies. He enjoyed the last few years helping out at the Blackhawk Country Inn in Owen while he was able.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Eileen Hodnett; seven children; Allen (Bridget) Hodnett, Muskego; Karen (Tim) Swiggum, Owen; Nancy (Jim Dorst) Abramczak, Thorp; Lynn (Jan) Hodnett, Rice Lake; Lois (Randall) Anderson, Chippewa Falls; Kay (Donald) Boening, Withee; and Larry (Donelle) Hodnett, Chippewa Falls; four sisters: Pearl Spaeth, Stanley; Marlene (Fred) Biddle, Waupun; Mildred Toya, Utah; and Fern Wiernasz, New Jersey; twelve grandchildren: Charlene and Kristin Hodnett, Muskego; Rebecca Swiggum, Owen; Brian (Carmen) Abramczak, Thorp; Heidi Abramczak, Eau Claire; Stacy (Nick) Vaka, Virginia; Allison Vigil and Abbe Anderson, Chippewa Falls; Dawn (Duke) Zukowski, North Carolina; Amanda Boening, Withee; Aaron and Heather Hodnett, Chippewa Falls; and two great-grandchildren, Teegan Lutze and Kordell Kobylarczyk.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Henry Hodnett; and two granddaughters Michelle Hodnett and Jennifer Vigil.

Memorials in Harold’s memory will be given to United Church of Christ, Owen, O-W Fire and Ambulance Association and Thorp American Legion Post #118.

A memorial service will be held on May 20th at the Owen United Church of Christ. Visitation will begin at 12 p.m. and service at 1:30 p.m. A private family burial, with full military rites, will follow at the Riverside Cemetery in Withee. The Cremation Society of Wisconsin is assisting the family.