James Arthur Dodge Sr (1918 - 1996)

Born 3 Sep 1918 in Runnymede, San Mateo, California, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Betty Jane (Witcher) Dodge — married 9 Apr 1950 in Reno, Washoe, Nevada, USA

Descendants

Died 27 Sep 1996 at age 78 in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa, California, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robin Shaules [send private message]

Biography

James Dodge Sr was a Californian.

James was born on 3 Sep 1918 in San Mateo County, California, United States to Arthur Charles Dodge and Edna Lucky (Millar) Dodge.^[1] He died on 27 Sep 1996 in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa, California, USA.^[2][3]

Early Life

James spent his childhood in the San Joaquin Valley of California on a dairy farm with his parents, his two sisters, and two brothers.^[4][5] While in his teens his family moved to the Santa Clara Valley (now known as Silicon Valley) ^[6] where he went to high school and later attended classes at San Jose State and Stanford University. He and his sisters and older brother formed a quartet and sang together for the Methodist Church choir. James was at one time a member of the Order of Demolay.^[7]

Dodge Children

Military

Staff Sgt. James Dodge Sr served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: 24 Mar 1941
Unit(s): 66th Fighter Wing
Service ended: 14 Sep 1945

James Dodge Sr was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

James Dodge Sr was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal.

James Dodge Sr was awarded the American Defense Service Medal.

James Arthur Dodge joined the US Army Air Corps on 24 Mar 1941 in San Francisco, California. He was a member of the 66th Fighter Wing. His battles and campaigns were in the Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe GO 40 WD 45, Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Normandy GO 33 WD 45. He received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, and an American Defense Service Medal. He was separated from the Service on 14 Sep 1945.^[8]

James A. Dodge in the US Army Air Corps

Marriages

James (or Jim as he was later known by) was first married to Miss Irene Shary in 1941 while he was in the Army Air Corps. Their marriage ended in divorce shortly after WWII with no children.^[9]

Jim married Betty Jane Jardin, a young widow, 9 Apr 1950. He had met her at his answering service where she worked. They had four children.^[7]

Later Life

Jim and Betty spent their married life in the East Bay area of the San Francisco Bay, mostly in Walnut Creek. There they raised their four children. Jim had his own business doing appliance refinishing. Later in life he "dabbled" in Real Estate and worked for a few years as a furniture refinisher for a major furniture company. He had several hobbies, his favorite being photography. He enjoyed taking, developing and printing his own photographs. He spent a few years doing free-lance photography for a local newspaper. Often his photos would show up on the front page. He also enjoyed travel, camping and deer hunting.^[7]

Both Jim and his wife, and to some extent their children, were involved for many years in the Independent Order of Foresters in their local community. They especially enjoyed the social events that were sponsored by the organization. ^[7]

Death

Jim died suddenly and unexpectedly of a massive cerebral hemorrhage on 27 Sep 1996. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered by his brother, John Sumner Dodge, who was a pilot, over the Sierras, one of Jim's favorite places. He was survived by his wife of 46 years, his four children, seven grandchildren, and his older sister and brother. He was predeceased by both parents and his younger sister and brother. ^{[2][3][7][10]}

Sources

1. ↑ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: V25D-KXW : 13 December 2014), James A Dodge, 03 Sep 1918; citing San Mateo, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Social Security Death Index 20 May 2014, James A Dodge, 27 Sep 1996; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing). Cited from FamilySearch.org
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: VPVL-5CX : 26 November 2014), James Arthur Dodge, 27 Sep 1996; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: MH41-HTRJames Dodge in entry for A C Dodge, ED 163, Household 66, Line 92, Sheet 3B, Ceres, Stanislaus, California, United States, 1920.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: XCJ7-2HPJames Dodge in household of Arthur C Dodge, Ceres, Stanislaus, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 5, sheet 2B, line 54, family 38, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 223; FHL microfilm 2,339,958.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: K9DT-KGQ James Dodge in household of Arthur C Dodge, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, California, United States, ED 43-40A, Line 71, Sheet 63B.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} First hand information from Robin Shaules, daughter
8. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Record: KMX1-28F : 5 December 2014), James A Dodge, enlisted 24 Mar 1941, San Francisco, California, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland
9. ↑ Personal knowledge of Robin Shaules, daughter, from conversations with Lois Warren, James' sister.
10. ↑ James A. Dodge Obituary Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA), September 30, 1996

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232117392/james-arthur-dodge : accessed 15 September 2021), memorial page for James Arthur “Jim” Dodge Sr. (3 Sep 1918–27 Sep 1996), Find A Grave: Memorial #232117392, ; Maintained by Robin Shaules (contributor 49485427) Cremated.