Sen. Carl F. Dodge

A celebration of life for former Sen. Carl F. Dodge, 91, a lifetime Nevada resident, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Smith Family funeral Home Chapel, 505 Rio Vista Dr., in Fallon.

Mr. Dodge died July 29, 2006, at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center. He was born June 8, 1915, in Reno to Carlon F. and Buena Reed Dodge. He moved to Fallon when he was 5 years old.

He graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor's degree in 1936. He then attended Stanford Law School, graduating fourth in his class with a degree in law in 1939.

He was a lawyer, the owner and operator of Dodge Island Ranch and the Valley Plaza Shopping Center in Fallon, and was involved with Dodge Construction Co., his family's construction business.

He served in the Nevada Legislature from 1958-80, when he resigned to take a seat on the Nevada Gaming Commission.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He was the corporate director of Circus Circus Enterprises, a member and the chairman of the Nevada State Personnel Commission, a member of the Special Committee on Taxation and Fiscal Affairs, a member and the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1980-84, a member of the Governor's Commission on Fiscal Affairs of State and Local Governments, and the chairman of the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

He had received an honorary Doctorate of Law Degree from UNR and an honorary associate's degree from WNCC. He was elected to the Business Leaders Hall of Fame and the Nevada Senate Hall of Fame, and he had received the Distinguished Nevadan Award from UNR. He was a Master Mason and a member of Churchill Lodge No. 26 for nearly 70 years.

He was preceded in death by sister and brother-in-law Marlea and Loring Primeaux.

Among his survivors are his wife, Bette Dodge of Fallon; son Carlon of Fallon; daughter Audys Dodge Losche of Carson City; brother-in-law William F. Cochran of Reno and four grandsons.

Memorial donations may be made to Western Nevada Community College, 160 Campus Way, Fallon, NV, 89406.

Burial will take place at the Masonic Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Reno.

Smith Family Funeral Home in Fallon is in charge of arrangements.