Robert C. Hodson

Robert Hodson, age 78, died of complications from pancreatic cancer on April 24. Bob was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, and his Ph.D. in plant physiology from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where he met his wife, Anita. In 1969, following a 3-year postdoc at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, Bob and Anita moved to Newark, DE where he was a biology professor at the University of Delaware (UD) until his retirement in 2013.

Bob's great passion was teaching undergraduates. He taught thousands of biology and pre-med students during his 40+ years at UD. Bob was a member of the UD faculty Senate; the UD faculty advisor for TriBeta, a national biological honor society; wrote the UD undergraduate introductory biology laboratory manual for nearly 20 years; and was the recipient of a campus-wide distinguished teaching and advising award in 2002. A self-taught, early and life-long advocate of using technology in the classroom, Bob was instrumental in bringing technology to the UD biology department. He served as Secretary of the national Association for Biology Laboratory Education for more than a decade.

Bob's hobbies included being a scout leader, bird watcher, horticulturist, conservationist, runner, and biker. Bob ran for several decades in White Clay Creek as part of multiple running clubs.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Anita of Newark, DE, two children, Elke Hodson of Washington, D.C. and Timothy Hodson of Newark, DE, and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his parents, Alexander and Audrey Jane, and his sister, Nancy Pince. Bob was a devoted husband and father and involved parent in his children's many activities

A memorial service to celebrate Bob's life will be planned in the coming months. In lieu of flowers, we are setting up an undergraduate fund at UD in Bob's honor. If you wish to contribute, please send contributions to: University of Delaware, Gifts Processing, 83 E. Main St, 3rd Flr; Newark, DE 19716.  Make checks payable to ‘University of Delaware’ and include on the memo line ’In memory of Dr. Robert C. Hodson,’ for whom the gift is being made.

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