Howard Dodge

Howard M. Dodge, age 69 Cold Spring October 6, 1940 – January 4, 2010 Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 9, 2010 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring, MN for Howard M. Dodge, age 69, who died peacefully Monday at Assumption Nursing Home from complications of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Interment will be in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call after 4:00 p.m. Friday at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring and from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning in the Narthex of St. Boniface Church. Parish prayers will be at 4:00 p.m. followed by a rosary with the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Order of Foresters, Cold Spring American Legion and Catholic Aid Association. Howard was born in Winchendon, MA to Earl Dodge and Viola Hammond. After high school, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Duluth, where he met his wife of 47 years. Howard married Darlene on October 7, 1961 in Kimball. After leaving the Air Force, Howard moved to Cold Spring, where he worked at the Cold Spring Granite Company, the State Bank of Cold Spring, as a taxi driver in St. Cloud. He also joined the Army Reserve. Howard worked at the St. Cloud Post Office for 30 years retiring in 1999. His last years there were spent serving customers at the retail window in Waite Park, a job he loved doing. He was a member of St. Boniface Parish, Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Aid Association and the Cold Spring American Legion. Symptoms of a neurological disorder began in 1991, and Howard was diagnosed with PSP in 1998. His illness forced him to retire in 1999. Darlene retired soon afterward to take care of him. In late 2006, Darlene was diagnosed with cancer. The following summer, Howard and Darlene both moved into the Assumption Nursing Home, where they shared a room. Darlene’s illness progressed much faster than Howard’s, and in her final months, Howard returned the love and support that Darlene had given him during his many years of declining health. Darlene died November 10, 2008, and Howard missed her greatly. Together, Howard and Darlene lived a life of boundless love, devotion and generosity toward each other and their family. Howard’s gentle spirit and his ability to see the goodness in life will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Survivors include his children, Daniel (Heidi) of Monticello, Toni (Randy) Scheper of Lakeville, Steven (Marcia) of St. Louis Park, Joseph (Stephanie) of Oregon City, OR, Robert (Debbie) of Coon Rapids, Kenneth (Heike) of Little Falls, and Tammy (Brian) Ecker of North Mankato; 17 grandchildren; brothers, Bernard of Maine, Doug Dodge and Arnold Hammond of Arizona. Preceded in death by his wife, Darlene; parents; and niece, Susan “Suzie” Decker.