Alan C. Dodge passed away peacefully at the age of 94 in Roseburg, Oregon on October 23, 2019. He was born May 6, 1925 in Montebello, CA to George S. Dodge and Mildred C. Dodge.
Alan served in the U.S. Coast Guard, graduated from California Polytechnic State University and began flying while attending Cal Poly. Alan’s love of agriculture, mechanics and aviation took him to Arizona where he followed his interests and talents in a variety of employment opportunities from heavy equipment mechanic and operator to agricultural crop dusting, uranium prospecting from the air, air ambulance, flying banners, and charter air service. As the result of “unscheduled landing” near Bagdad, AZ he met and later married the love of his life, Roxie F. Lewis on Jan. 2, 1953. Alan was hired by Pan American Airways in 1955 and retired as 747 Captain in 1985. After retiring from Pan Am he flew as corporate pilot for Hogan Manufacturing of Escalon, CA retiring at age 75.
While Alan flew professionally and privately, they raised their family, sheep, cattle, and eventually wine grapes, creating Dodge Vineyards Winery in Valley Home, CA. Their home was always a welcome place for happy gatherings of countless friends from far and near, family, and winery open houses. Alan and Roxie moved to Roseburg, OR after 50 years in the Oakdale area where he had shared his time and talents with the community as deacon in his church, on the Oakdale airport board, on the Chamber of Commerce, as a 4-H leader, a member of the Rotary Club, the Oakdale Dinner Club, the California Flying Farmers and World Beechcraft Society.
Alan and Roxie had two children, Vicki Johnstone-Dodge (husband, Jim Johnstone) and George A. Dodge (wife, Stephanie Dodge). George has been waiting to welcome his dad to heaven since 2007. Alan is survived by his wife of 66 years, daughter, one sister, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many, many considered “family”. We greatly miss his love, banter, countless stories, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, laughter, big “coughing” hugs and sense of humor.
Friends and family are invited to share in a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the Gladys Lemmons Senior Community Center, 450 East A Street, Oakdale, CA 95361.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York NY 10001; https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
Alan served in the U.S. Coast Guard, graduated from California Polytechnic State University and began flying while attending Cal Poly. Alan’s love of agriculture, mechanics and aviation took him to Arizona where he followed his interests and talents in a variety of employment opportunities from heavy equipment mechanic and operator to agricultural crop dusting, uranium prospecting from the air, air ambulance, flying banners, and charter air service. As the result of “unscheduled landing” near Bagdad, AZ he met and later married the love of his life, Roxie F. Lewis on Jan. 2, 1953. Alan was hired by Pan American Airways in 1955 and retired as 747 Captain in 1985. After retiring from Pan Am he flew as corporate pilot for Hogan Manufacturing of Escalon, CA retiring at age 75.
While Alan flew professionally and privately, they raised their family, sheep, cattle, and eventually wine grapes, creating Dodge Vineyards Winery in Valley Home, CA. Their home was always a welcome place for happy gatherings of countless friends from far and near, family, and winery open houses. Alan and Roxie moved to Roseburg, OR after 50 years in the Oakdale area where he had shared his time and talents with the community as deacon in his church, on the Oakdale airport board, on the Chamber of Commerce, as a 4-H leader, a member of the Rotary Club, the Oakdale Dinner Club, the California Flying Farmers and World Beechcraft Society.
Alan and Roxie had two children, Vicki Johnstone-Dodge (husband, Jim Johnstone) and George A. Dodge (wife, Stephanie Dodge). George has been waiting to welcome his dad to heaven since 2007. Alan is survived by his wife of 66 years, daughter, one sister, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many, many considered “family”. We greatly miss his love, banter, countless stories, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, laughter, big “coughing” hugs and sense of humor.
Friends and family are invited to share in a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the Gladys Lemmons Senior Community Center, 450 East A Street, Oakdale, CA 95361.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York NY 10001; https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
March 4, 2020
