James L. (Les) Hodges, 97, of Houston, TX passed away on December 15, 2023. Les was born on July 26, 1926, in Comanche County, TX to the late Vernor and Irene (Nash) Hodges. He graduated from DeLeon High School. He excelled in sports, both football and basketball. He attended the University of North Texas and played basketball. He was called to serve his country in WW2 and served in the Army Air Forces as an airplane mechanic, stationed in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. After his service was complete, he returned to college and graduated from North Texas with a degree in accounting. While in school, he met DeOlva Barnard and they were married in April 1949 and moved to Midland, TX where he began a 40-year career with Texaco.

After moving to Houston in 1956, he was an early pioneer in the use of computing for Texaco. He led the effort in implementing one of the first credit card processing systems in the world. He retired from Texaco in 1989 as the General Manager of Computing Systems.

His love of sports was strong, coaching youth baseball for many years and leading one team to the Pony League World Series. He was an avid Astros fan having attended the very first game and the last game in the Astrodome.

Les was a devout Christian. He served his church as a bible class teacher for many years and as an Elder for 30+ years in various churches of Christ. He served as a Board member at Florida College, the Advisory Board of the University of North Texas Business School and, after retirement, taught at the University of Houston Graduate School of Business.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wonderful wife of 55 years De, his brother C. D. Hodges and wife Minnie, brother-in-law Bill Howell and great grandson Oliver Parsons. He is survived by his sister, Peggy Howell, his son Richard Hodges and wife Sherry, son Craig Hodges and wife Denise, and daughter Jill Parsons and husband John, twelve grandchildren, twenty-five great grandchildren and five nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 11:00 am, at the Klein Funeral Home-Champion Forest.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Florida College Adopt-A-Student at 119 N. Glen Arven Ave. Temple, Terrace, FL 33617 in memory of James L. Hodges.

https://floridacollege.edu/give/adopt-program-donors/