Royal Hodgdon

Sergeant Royal Hodgdon was born Jan. 5, 1922, in Brighton, Mass., a son of Roy and Hazel (Lewis) Hodgdon. When his mother died in 1924, Royal came back to live with his grandparents, George and Lucy (Spearin) Hodgdon. It was in Clinton that he learned to whittle. His father, Roy, married Gracie Stowell when he was 5 and Royal moved back to Framingham, Mass.

He attended Saxonville-Framingham Schools and graduated from high school in 1941. He joined the Army and SGT Royal Hodgdon served in the 12th Armored Division 494th on October 16, 1942. He was in field artillery as a tank driver and mechanic from October 1942 to January 1946. He was stationed in Germany and England. He fought Germans in the Battle of the Buldge in France from December 16, 1944 until his discharge January 25, 1945. 

Royal married Gloria Edna Currie on Oct. 2, 1948, in Seabrook, N.H. He and his father, Roy and brothers formed Hodgdon Bros. Reality Trust, Homebuilders. He was a carpenter.

When he was younger he enjoyed hunting, camping and square dancing. He was a member of the Framingham Fairs and Squares in Massachusetts for more than 20 years. Upon returning to Clinton in 2002, Royal had a new adventure: he helped build a home with his son-in-law, Bill Halliday and daughter, Donna. He became an avid reader and enjoyed watching the garden grow. He liked sitting in his chair in the sunshine, watching for the wild turkeys and deer. He was a member of Brown Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton.

He lived his last few years in Clinton with his daughter, Donna Halliday, and her husband Bill.  Royal was 86 when he died on May 31, 2008, at home with family in Clinton.