Staunton World War II veteran celebrates 100th birthday

Monique Calello, Staunton News Leader
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

STAUNTON – Calvin Coolidge was President of the United States.

The first baseball game was played at Yankee Stadium against the Boston Red Sox.

And archaeologist Howard Carter opened King Tut's tomb.

Bessie Smith was singing “Down Hearted Blues” on the radio, a movie ticket cost 7 cents, and a gallon of gas was a quarter.

World War II veteran John Leonard Hodges celebrates his 100th birthday with family and friends at Marquis Memorial United Methodist Church in Staunton, Va.
World War II veteran John Leonard Hodges celebrates his 100th birthday with family and friends at Marquis Memorial United Methodist Church in Staunton, Va.

The year was 1923, and on Aug. 25 World War II veteran John Leonard Hodges was born.

On a hot summer Saturday, Hodges celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends at Marquis Memorial United Methodist Church in Staunton.

“I’m having a ball!” said Hodges smiling while saying hello to dozens of people who traveled from all over the country to celebrate with him.

On tables are pictures of Hodges and his late wife Kathryn over the years, along with certificates from the numerous organizations he volunteered for in Staunton.

“It’s amazing to turn 100,” said his son John Hodges, Jr. “He has been a faithful member of this church for decades. And this community. Very civic minded.”

His son and daughters, Sissy Harner, Jayne Tooley, Judy Ramsey and Hodges, Jr., shared how their mom and dad met during the war.

Hodges became really good friends with one of his comrades who was writing to his sister, they said. He asked for her name and address so that if anything ever happened, he could let her know. When he saw her picture, it was love at first sight. He started to write to Kathryn and courted her by mail. They saw each other four times before they got married.

During speeches made by family and friends Saturday, members of VFW Post 2916 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars presented Hodges with a 100th anniversary Challenge Coin to honor his service and achievements. Humbled, Hodges shook their hands and thanked everyone who came to his birthday party by singing "God Bless America."

After Hodges finished singing, he said with a smile and twinkle in his eye, “Hopefully I’ll get to do this again next year.”

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: 100th birthday: World War II veteran celebrates 100th birthday