A celebration of life for Henry Hodges Sr. will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Nevada Automotive Test Center.
Mr. Hodges died June 16, 2007. He was born in 1923 on the Jumping Horse Ranch in Ennis, Mont.
He married Martha at Galilee Lake Tahoe. She preceded him in death.
Mr. Hodges founded Hodges Transportation Inc. He ran the company from the old V&T Shops in Carson City for many years. He tested the first radial tires built by Michelin, Pirelli and Goodyear and the first plastic tire built by Firestone. He also established high-speed tire safety for the Nevada Highway Patrol.
He moved to Lyon County on the old Break-A-Heart Ranch in 1972.
During World War II, he was a member of the 10th Mountain Division, in charge of the mule pack trains hauling mountain howitzers. After being injured and recovering, he served at the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center and then ran the Detroit Arsenal Camp Bullis test facility in San Antonio, Texas.
He and his wife traveled around the world many times in a specially prepared Hummer.
He served in Operation Desert Storm as a military tire expert receiving Army commendations for service. At the age of 78, he received a special award from the U.S. Army for his continuing military service.
Among his survivors are son and daughter-in-law Henry Jr. and Mary; daughter and son-in-law Dorothy and Chuck Pona of Chesterland, Ohio; six grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law Bill and Susie and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Fisher House, St. Mary's Hospice or the Sisters of Notre Dame India Mission of Chardon, Ohio.
Walton's Chapel of the Valley, is in charge of arrangements.