Notes:
Picture of
Added by Bonnie Dodge
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Donald William “Don” Dodge
Birth 27 Jan 1914
Oelwein, Fayette County, Iowa, USA
Death 21 Dec 2006 (aged 92)
Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, USA
Burial
Oak Hill Cemetery
Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, USA
Memorial ID 94601530 · View Source
Memorial
Photos 2
Flowers 0
Donald William Dodge, 92, of The Manor, Meth-Wick Community, and formerly of 3224 Terry Dr., passed away on Friday, January 21, 2006. He is survived by his son John; daughter Bonnie; and son-in-law Terry Kemme, all of Cedar Rapids; a brother-in law, Richard Royer, of Dallas Center; 2 nephews and 2 nieces. Per Don's wishes, the body was cremated, with interment to be at Oak Hill Cemetery, and there will be no services.
Don was born January 27, 1914, in Oelwein, Iowa, to Bertha Alice Buchanan and William Jacob Dodge. He graduated from the College of Commerce at the University of Iowa in 1938, then from the College of Law in 1941. While at the University of Iowa he was a member of the men's gymnastics team from 1936-1938, serving as captain the last year, and as president of the Gymnastics Athletic Club. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Student Publications and the Iowa Memorial Union and of Omicron Delta Kappa Senior Honorary Leadership Society.
On October 19, 1941, he married Martha Jean Royer in Baltimore, Maryland. From 1941-1946 he was a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Maryland, Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona. He and Martha settled in Cedar Rapids in 1946, where he worked for 9 years as an attorney at Simmons, Perrine, Albright, Ellwood and Neff. From 1955 until his retirement in 1981, Don was a government contracts administrator for Collins Division of Rockwell International.
Don was a longtime member of the Linn Co. Bar Association, Beethoven Club, Linn Co. Jazz Society, and C.R. Symphony Orchestra Association, and at one time was principal trumpeter for the symphony as well as the Coe Promenade Orchestra. In his lifetime he served as president or chairman of the following organizations: Law Club of Cedar Rapids, Hawkeye Toastmasters Club, Local 450 A.F. of Musicians, Municipal Board of Adjustment, and the Cedar Rapids Chapter of Former Special Agents of the F.B.I.
Don's lifelong loves were tennis and trumpet, and he enjoyed composing poetry. When he was 18 he was the organizer, manager, and director of the Oelwein Summer Concert Band and conductor of the Urbana H.S. Summer Concert Band. While a student at the University of Iowa he was the leader of the Avalon Orchestra, a popular college dance group, which also played at Yellowstone Lodge. He continued to play both tennis and trumpet through his eighties, oftentimes sitting in on trumpet with the Dick Watson jazz trio at the Lighthouse.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, wife Martha Jean on January 21, 2006, sister Dorothy, son Richard Allan in 1969, and daughter Donna Jean in 1950.