Memory of a man

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5743210,00.html

MASSARO: Prohibition Party leader was devoted to family and cause

November 9, 2007
LAKEWOOD - Perennial presidential candidate Earl Dodge was true to his word to the end.
Last election, he said he'd retire "when the Lord calls me home."

Mr. Dodge, head of the Prohibition Party, retired Wednesday. He died after collapsing at Denver International Airport. He was 74.

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They were married July 20, 1951, at Tremont Temple in Boston.

The couple had seven children. They'd travel by station wagon to Boston for annual vacations, stopping at relatives' homes along the way.

"A few things I remember about my dad were that he was creative when it came to frugality," said daughter Karen Thiessen, of Wheat Ridge. "We had entire meals of corn on the cob when it was on sale in Boston's farmers market for 10 cents for a dozen ears. We kids thought it was the coolest thing in the world to get to eat nothing but corn on the cob with all the butter and salt we wanted. Daddy would stop by the side of the road to feed us breakfast if we had driven all night. We ate fried bologna and bottled ginger ale."

Mr. Dodge taught Sunday school for years at Arvada Baptist. He tried to instill the same lessons in his children.

"My dad taught me that the most important thing in life was knowing God," Thiessen said. "And probably the second-most- important thing was loving your family and being loyal. Dad was the most tender, loyal person I'd ever known. He wrote my mom beautiful love poems. He was always coming home with flowers and gifts for her."

He was also generous.

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Do read this obituary of a fine man in the best tradition of God and America, father and husband. What a generous and blessed soul. Condolences to the family and his friends.