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2016 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 313
Celebrating the life of Louis Wendell Hodges.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 19, 2016
Agreed to by the Senate, February 25, 2016

 

WHEREAS, Louis Wendell Hodges, a longtime educator at Washington and Lee University who helped students, faculty, and members of the community prepare for ethical dilemmas in their respective fields, died on February 8, 2016; and

WHEREAS, a native of Europa, Mississippi, Louis “Lou” Wendell Hodges learned the value of hard work and responsibility as a child of the Great Depression; he graduated from Millsaps College, Duke Divinity School, and The Graduate School at Duke University; and

WHEREAS, Lou Hodges began his 43-year career with Washington and Lee University as a member of the Religion Department in 1960; he was at the forefront of journalistic ethics programs and conducted seminars to help students think critically about ethical dilemmas in a variety of fields; and

WHEREAS, in addition to being appointed the Fletcher Odie Thomas Professor of Religion at Washington and Lee University, Lou Hodges also inspired students at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in Florida and was named a Fellow at the Hastings Center in New York; and

WHEREAS, in 1995 and 1996, Lou Hodges was a Fulbright Scholar in Journalism Ethics; he was appointed to Osmania University in India, visited 17 universities throughout the country, and met with the Press Council of India; and

WHEREAS, Lou Hodges retired from Washington and Lee University as Knight Professor of Journalism Ethics in 2003, but continued to serve students and faculty as an advisor and visiting professor; and

WHEREAS, Lou Hodges also worked to strengthen and enhance the Lexington region as an active member of Lexington Rockbridge United Fund, Rockbridge Area Housing Corporation, and Rockbridge Area Hospice; and

WHEREAS, ordained as a minister in the United Methodist Church, Lou Hodges served as the unofficial chaplain of Washington and Lee University; when called upon, he also performed weddings and funerals and served as a guest minister at local churches; and

WHEREAS, Lou Hodges will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his beloved wife of 62 years, Helen; sons, John and George, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, colleagues, and former students; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Louis Wendell Hodges, a dedicated educator and a respected mentor in the Lexington community; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Louis Wendell Hodges as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.