Ray Hilton Hodges

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Obituary- Hodges, Ray

R. Hilton Hodges
Ray Hilton Hodges, 74, longtime Topeka radio and television broadcaster, died Wednesday, April 6, 1988, at a Topeka retirement home.

Mr. Hodges was associated with WIBW in Topeka from early in 1936 until he retired in 1978. He previously worked a year at station KMMJ in Clay Center, Neb.

Mr. Hodges duties at WIBW included writing broadcast copy and covering and announcing news and special events, including Gov. Alfred Landon’s bid for the presidency in 1936. He also hosted studio entertainment shows and the traveling Saturday Night Roundups.

He also reported state high school basketball tournaments and Washburn, Kansas and Kansas State basketball and football games.

Mr. Hodges was stage announcer for the Kansas Free Fair and Mid-America Fair 25 years. He served 27 years as official pronouncer for the annual Shawnee County Spelling Bee and All-Kansas Spelling Bee, both sponsored annually by The Topeka Daily Capital and later The Capital-Journal.

He was a Navy flight instructor during World War II.

He was born May 23, 1913, at Mount Clare, Neb., the son of Fred N. and Ada Garver Hodges. He was graduated from Clay Center, Neb. High School in 1930. He attended Doane College at Crete, Neb., and the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis.

Mr. Hodges was a member of Countryside United Methodist Church, Capitol Post No. 1 of the American Legion, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 204, Friends of Hospice and Combat Air Museum, all in Topeka. He also was a member of Clay Center, Neb. Lodge No. 139, AF&AM, and American Association of Retired Persons.

He was named Topeka’s Young Man of the Year in 1942. During the 1940’s he was president of the Downtown Lions Club, and active in the Junior Chamber of Commerce and Boys’ Club of Topeka. He had served on the boards of the American Red Cross and Hospice Inc., and was a troop chairman for the Boy Scouts of American.

He was married to Dorothy L. Kenna in 1937 at St. Louis, Mo. She died in 1983.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Jane Tetuan, Topeka; a son, Rob Hodges, Topeka; a brother, Wayne Hodges, Tulsa, Okla.; and seven grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Countryside United Methodist Church. Graveside services will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Hodges will lie in state until 9 p.m. today at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Broadcast Scholarship Program, Kansas Association of Broadcasters, 8th and Jackson, 66603, or Boys Clubs of Topeka Endowment Fund, 510 SA.E. 27th, 66605