Robert Eric Hodgson

Robert E. Hodgson July 27, 1948 - January 31, 2022 Robert E. Hodgson, devoted husband and father, passed away January 31, 2022, at the Community Hospice - McGraw Center for Caring in Jacksonville. He was 73. Robert, who was known to his friends and family as Bob, was born at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts on July 27, 1948, and he spent his childhood growing up in the Town of Wellesley. He was one of six children born to Roger B. Hodgson of Wellesley and Svana Josefsson, formerly of Iceland. He attended Wellesley public schools and graduated from Wellesley Senior High School in June 1966. Bob briefly attended Ohio Wesleyan University but withdrew late in his freshman year to join the United States Air Force in September 1967. During his years in the military from 1967 to 1971, he served at Lackland Air Force Base and Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, where he trained as a medical materials specialist. He was later stationed at Wheelus Air Force Base in Libya and Bentwaters Royal Air Force Base in England as an Air Force NCO. In July 1971, he began a two-year stint in the United States Air Force Reserve. Bob earned three degrees from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Returning to college on the GI Bill, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology in 1974 and immediately went on to earn a Master of Business Administration, graduating in 1977. After working in budgeting and finance at healthcare institutions in the greater Boston area, he returned to Amherst to earn a Master of Science in Accounting in 1984. It was during return to Amherst to earn his second master's degree that he met Marcia, his wife of 37 years. After a whirlwind courtship of two weeks, the couple became engaged and married in Wayland, Massachusetts in September 1984 with Marcia's cousin, Rev. Janet Cooper-Nelson, chaplain of Brown University, presiding. After graduation with his second master's degree, Bob worked as Chief Accountant for Amherst College. The couple later moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he served as Manager of Cost Accounting and Budgeting for Elliot Hospital. Over his career, Bob also worked as Assistant Director of Fiscal Services, Cost Reporting and Management for the University of North Carolina hospital system in Chapel Hill. Eventually the couple moved to Jacksonville where spent the balance of his career working in cost accounting and capital budgeting for St. Vincent's Hospital, and Baptist/St. Vincent's Health System when the two hospital systems merged. After the two health systems eventually parted ways, he served as a Senior Financial Consultant for Ascension St. Vincent's Healthcare System in Jacksonville and at Ascension's corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, He finally retired from his career in healthcare finance after working a few years at One Call Care Management on Jacksonville's Southbank. Throughout the years, Bob balanced his healthcare career with a part-time military service in the Army Reserve. During what became a 23-year military career, he served in the Army National Guard in Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Florida, where he held many positions including assignments as Assistant Inspector General with the 26th Infantry Division in Massachusetts, and as a senior NCOES Instructor with the North Carolina Military Academy at Fort Bragg. He finished his career at a Master Sergeant (E8) for the 120th Personnel Service Company in St. Augustine. In retirement, Bob pursued his life-long interest in studying the night sky by joining two regional astronomy clubs - Ancient City Astronomy Club in St. Augustine and Northeast Florida Astronomical Society in Jacksonville. He was also a member of Trinity Episcopal Parish Church in St. Augustine. Bob was a devoted father to his two beloved daughters, Celia Hope Hodgson, and Hillary Hodgson, both of Ponte Vedra Beach. He is survived by his wife, Marcia Hodgson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and his daughters; as well as four siblings: John Hodgson of Hyannis, Massachusetts; Peggy Hodgson Enders (Robert) of Lexington, Massachusetts; Thomas Hodgson of Auburn, New York, and Lilly Hodgson of Cummaquid, Massachusetts; and seven nieces and nephews: James Hodgson (Nada Hussein) of Belmont, Massachusetts; Sara Enders Goulden (Robert) of Sacramento, California; Caitlin Enders Dalton (Clayton) of New Mexico; Svana Lara Hauksdottir of Iceland, Katrin Hauksdottir (Viktor Bjarkason) of Iceland; Haukur Johann Hauksson (Kim) of LaGrange, Illinois, and Helga Hauksdottir (Ben Mathew) of New Jersey. A funeral service celebrating Bob's life was held at Trinity Episcopal Parish in St. Augustine, Florida, on February 12. Interment will be in the Hodgson Family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley, Massachusetts in the spring.