Luke HODGES (b. 5 Feb. 1897 Archer City, Archer, TX - d. Flora, Ill. 27 Dec 1937 buried in the HODGES family plot in Archer City (with military honors); he served as a Private, Cavalry unassigned; was discharged 21 Dec 1918; U.S. Army #3983351. He was born & reared on a ranch in archer Co., & at the age of 17 years he went to work in the oil fields of booming Burkburnett, TX where under the eagle eye of Tom Strunt, a PA Dutchman, he learned the rudiments of drilling for oil; this knowledge was finally culminated when he purchased a drilling rig & entered the contracting business for himself. His father, "Uncle Ben" Hodges of Archer City, had instilled in his family a high respect for the value of a man's word to his fellowmen & until his death, the word of Luke Hodges was his bond among the men in the oil industry. Both he and his wife were members of the First Christian Church of Wichita Falls. After the death of her husband, Mrs. HODGES was faced with the responsibility of earning the livelihood for herself & their son; she made a place for herself in the credit profession where as Credit Manager for the White House Market, she was recognized as a capable business woman. She served as President of the Wichita Falls Credit Grantors Association; as Chairman of the Home Service Group of the Retail Credit Executives of Texas and for two years as the Member of its Board of Directors for the State Organization. She served as Chairman of the Educational Committee for the local Association & for District One of the State organization & during that time was successful in having a course in Credit included in the Distributive Educational Department of the Senior High School of Wichita Falls. In November 1953 she established for herself a bookkeeping service into which she could put to good use her experience in credit & retail business.. Luke HODGES and Frances Beal Smith had issue: Luke Oxsheer Hodges b. 10 Dec 1927 - Dallas, TX m. 5 June 1954 Dallas, TX Mrs. Doris May (Krick) Conley (b. 17 Nov 1927 Los Angeles, CA). Luke served in the Navy during WWII, being station part of the time at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands; enlisted March 20, 1945 and was discharged July 12, 1946, Naval Ser. #C 3659631. On Feb 4, 1947 he enlisted in the US Marine Corps from which he was discharged 29 July 1947; Marine Corps Ser. #649994. Prior to his enlistment in the Navy, he attended Allen Military Academy & after his return from the Navy, he entered Hardin College, now Midwestern U. of Wichita Falls. With a flair for comedy & a better than average singing voice, he took active & enthusiastic interest in little theatre work in the Dallas Community Playhouse & later The Courtyard Players; he did a pantomine skit, Dr. Kildare, on the first audience participation show done on television in Dallas, over WFAA where had his own noon time TV show. In 1955 he moved his family to Houston where he became associated with an investment management company. L.O. Hodges & Doris Conley had issue: Heather Ann Hodges, b. Dallas, 28 Jan 1955 and Bonnie Anne Hodges, b Houston, 5 Feb 1956. The above and foregoing was copied from The Genealogy of the Beale Family 1399-1956 by Frances Beal Smith HODGES (Mrs. Luke) of Wichita Falls, Texas, pages 299 & 300. Submitted by "Gerry" HODGES Hackley in Houston Gerry Bosma Hackley, GRI [] Prudential Gary Greene Realtors 2323 Town Center Blvd. Sugar Land, TX 77478 Ofc: 281/980-5050 Fax: 281/980-5426 Res: 281/495-6680 Fax: 281/495-9395 Pager: 713/318-1951 Cell: 281/414-5211 http://www.hackley.com [email protected] Specializing in residential properties in Fort Bend County, West and SW Houston since 1972.