Wallace Dale Hodges

Dale Hodges, 94.5 years young, of Thousand Oaks, CA, passed away peacefully under the care of his devoted family on July 6, 2024. What a life! 

Dale was born in the small town of Purcell, OK, just days after the stock market collapse that preceded the Great Depression. He was the second of two children born to Mary Adaline Kitchens and Wallace Lennie Hodges. Lennie was successful in the oil and gas business and owned two “filling stations” in Purcell, where young Dale liked to spend time with his father and developed a longstanding love of cars. As WWII’s gas rationing impacted Lennie’s businesses, he relocated the family to California, where Lennie worked at wartime production factories, and Mary was called to serve as a “Rosie the Riveter” on airplane assembly lines. Kenneth Hodges – Dale’s elder brother by five years – was drafted to serve in the US Army during WWII, and was always respected and admired by his younger brother. Dale always had wonderful stories of his early life in Oklahoma, where he was surrounded by the Hodges and Kitchens families.

Growing up in California created a lot of new experiences. Dale delivered newspapers on his bike before school, helped operate Lennie’s Los Angeles gas station, worked in the oil fields of Bakersfield with his cousin Jake, and served in the National Guard. Starting his college career at El Camino College, he met lifelong friends, one of which convinced him to take a break from studying for an afternoon of beach volleyball frolicking (as he called it, in retelling his favorite story over and over). On that fateful day, Dale met the love of his life, Marlene Lambert, and their lives would forever change. While working at Rocketdyne by night, Dale enrolled in University of Southern California (USC) and received his Civil Engineering degree and became a devoted USC Trojan Football fan for the rest of his life. After graduation, Dale worked for the City of Los Angeles on the aqueduct project, which is still in use today. A few years down the road, a close friend convinced Dale to apply to Litton Industries in Canoga Park, where he worked for the rest of his career until retirement, as Director of Facilities. 

In 1959, Marlene and Dale moved to a then-sleepy town of Thousand Oaks to raise their family in the quiet suburbs away from the big city. They bought their first home in the center of Thousand Oaks, before upsizing in 1963, to a larger home in the Shadow Oaks community that was more suitable to their growing family. Warwick Avenue became the life-long family home where Dale and Marlene raised four children before assisting each one through college, while maintaining that warm and special home for all to return for welcoming visits, amazing holidays, and endless praises of encouragement, hugs and love. Although a difficult decision after 55 glorious years of laughter and joy that echoed within and outside the walls of Warwick Avenue, Dale and Marlene downsized to a quaint home in Newbury Park, where they could be closer to Lisa and Thom in the twilight of their years. 

Our parents’ lives in Thousand Oaks – and by extension, ours – mirrored the pages of a storybook: raising four affable children with diverse interests; building wonderful friendships with neighborhood families; playing in beautiful parks laden with Oak trees for climbing and paths for hiking; pedaling Sting-Ray bicycles for blocks and blocks on quiet streets lined with and named after trees; cheering, coaching and supporting every imaginable team sport we signed up for, and the ones we created in the yard; and best of all, having a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor within walking distance for a fun family evening reTREAT. And if those surroundings were not dreamy enough, Dad was the Chief Instigator when it came to planning unique outings and long family vacations to explore and experience incredibly picturesque and historic places throughout the Country and beyond. Luckily for Dad, our slightly less-adventurous Mother opted not to divorce him when he purchased motorcycles for his three daughters and son, and took us solo on a play raft down five miles of the raging Rogue River. Yup, we all survived and Mom and Dad continued to live mostly harmoniously thereafter, and cherished many more joyous and fulfilling family outings to come!

After retirement, Dale and Marlene set off in their motorhome on incredible cross-country adventures to explore and experience the beautiful surrounds of the U.S. and enjoyed several European cruises in between. Dad was always proud to say that he had been in all 50 states, which had been on his bucket-list of goals for their life together, and with family, pre- and post-retirement. You go, Dad and Mom! 

Dale carried on his Father’s love of music and cars (owning 36 cars, 5 RVs, and 8 motorcycles during his lifetime, and racing a Porsche at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio after retirement), and his Mother’s love of family and creating fantastic meals...which he has now passed onto his children. What an adventure, dear Father, and a life well-lived! 

Our father was preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Marlene Jean Hodges. He is survived by four devoted children and spouses: Lisa Lewis (Hodges) and her husband, Thom; Julie Price (Hodges); Lynne Hodges and her partner, Bill Marineau; Thomas Hodges, and his wife Laura; as well as his loving grandchildren, Spencer Caligiuri and his partner, Katelyn Crane; Sarah Caligiuri and Scotty Caligiuri; Trevor Hodges and James Hodges; Amy Lewis and Nik Lewis; Lea’ Marineau-Albright and her husband, Wyatt; Heidi Marineau-Smith and her husband, Jason; and Molly Marineau; and great-grand twins, Lyric and Winzer Albright. All told, an amazing family fabric that extends lovingly and importantly beyond those mentioned here. 

Together, we are celebrating the life of our dear Father, mentor and friend at the Conejo Mountain Memorial Cemetery, on Tuesday, July 16th at 3pm.