Isle of Wight former garage proprietor Alan Hodge has died aged 89

Alan jointly ran the garage for many years with his surviving elder brother, John, following the retirement of their parents, Ethel and Ralph.

Alan was a Bembridge man through and through, living the whole of his life in the village, apart from a short period based in Leeds, where, as a trained mechanic, he did his national service with the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). 

He loved to reminisce about growing up in the village during the Second World War, and could paint a vivid picture of the escapades that he and the other local boys got up to.

In 1956 Alan married his childhood sweetheart, Shirley Joan Keeping, and enjoyed a long and happy marriage with her until her death in 2020. 

A family man, Alan was a devoted dad to his three daughters, Peta, Charlotte, and Dawn and a proud and supportive grandad to Ed, Howard, Rafe and Tilly.

Outside of work and family, throughout his life, Alan loved to watch and participate in sport.

As a young man, he played cricket for the school first 11 and was a keen footballer, representing a number of local teams and on one occasion, getting to play against a young Jimmy Greaves.

For more than 40 years, he was an enthusiastic golfer, for most of that time being an active member of the Shanklin and Sandown Golf Club. 

He also spent many years as band manager for the Isle of Wight Youth Concert Band, instrumental in organising regular concerts at Medina Theatre, Shanklin Pier, Sandown Pier and Warners (now Bembridge Coast Hotel), and overseas trips, including to France, Holland, Germany and America.

Alan died at Mountbatten Hospice on Monday, January 29. 

Following a private ceremony at the crematorium, a memorial service will take place on Wednesday, February 14, at Holy Trinity Church Bembridge, at 12.30 pm and afterwards at the Birdham Hotel.

Obituary: Alan Hodge (Image: Hodge family)