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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '99
Frederick Andrew Dodd * '46
No. 15923 * 10 Jul 1923 - 7 Jul 1998
Died in Colorado Springs, CO * Interred Memorial Gardens Cemetery,
Pikes Peak, CO
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FREDERICK ANDREW DODD, was born in Oakland, CA.
It was clear early in life that he was most gifted. His sister,
Mary, told of some of his early accomplishments: "Andy had
true pitch, a marvelous singing voice and could harmonize by
ear well enough to sing in Barber Shop Quartets without practicing.
He was an Eagle Scout. He was a natural athlete, a teacher and
a person with much courage and daring and a soft heart. He loved
Botany. He was scholarly with an extraordinary intellectual curiosity
and always had a gift for drawing and painting." After graduation
from Berkeley High School, Andy attended the University of Reno,
NV before gaining his coveted appointment to West Point where
he joined the Class of 1946 on 1 July 1943.
Cadet life was no great problem for Andy. He was
active on the swim team his entire time at West Point as well
as water polo and the debate team. At graduation, he was commissioned
a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery.
Andy's 28 year active duty career included troop
duty with Field Artillery and Anti-aircraft Artillery units as
well as staff jobs at all levels of air defense units. He served
overseas in Korea, Japan, Germany and Vietnam. He married Eva
Lohman in Oakland, CA on 14 April 1948. This marriage ended in
divorce in 1958. Andy did not remarry. He retired in 1974 in
Colorado Springs, CO.
He gained a Master of Education degree from the
University of Northern Colorado in 1978. He taught school, science
and math until 1983 when he went into real estate. His main interests
were in the things that he loved most: hiking, camping, hunting,
fishing, anything to do with the outdoors. In addition to these
outdoors endeavors, Andy had numerous other hobbies: tennis,
riding bicycles, karate, geology (he was an excellent roadside
geologist), bee keeping (even though fatally allergic to bee
stings), photography, ham radio, skiing, plus reading and learning
always. In short, Andy was a true Renaissance man.
Some of his accomplishments included: member of
the South End Rowing Club of San Francisco, swam the Golden Gate
and to and from Alcatraz many times. He was a member and officer
of the Colorado Mountain Club. He hiked every 14K mountain in
Colorado to become a member of the Fourteeners Club. He even
taught rock climbing.
Andy died 7 July 1998 from a heart attack. Survivors
include two daughters, Mary and Catherine; son, Brendan and a
sister, Mary.
Andy Dodd left a legacy of reminders of a good
man in every sense of the word. He was a true son of West Point
who exemplified the motto, Duty, Honor, Country. Andy loved teaching
school. He probably would have continued that endeavor except
he couldn't handle the lack of discipline and parents refusal
to address these problems. His daughter remembered having former
students and their parents tell her they had never had another
teacher like Andy, one who so inspired them. In his files was
a letter from one of his students: "You inspired me to become
a physician when I was in your 5th grade class. Thank you so
much. I am going into academic medicine so I can teach like you!"
The qualities that made Andy so special are best
seen in the comments from his family and friends.
Classmate, Dan Hickey, recalled: "Andy was
an adventurer and athlete, doing those things which most of us
only dream about. He can be best described as compassionate and
selfless. He was forever giving away things to those less fortunate.
I will miss him very much and wish him peace."
Classmate and fellow Artilleryman, Bob Cramer,
recalled" Andy was a kind and loving man without a mean
bone in his body."
Classmate, Gunnar Andersson, delivered the eulogy
at Andy's funeral. He said in part: "Andy was a comfortable
man; comfortable with others, comfortable with himself. You might
say, he was comfortable with his own skin. The Andy I knew was
mentally and physically tough. He was the kind of man, soldier,
West Pointer and friend I would choose to share any adventure.
Andy had class."
His daughter, Mary, recalled other occasions that
reflected on the man who was Andy Dodd: "A creek runs through
his property and one year a mother duck had ducklings near his
house. Apparently the mother was killed so Dad took it upon himself
to raise the ducklings. It must have been quite a sight to see
6'4" Andy with a series of ducklings following him everywhere,
including I might add, in the house and car. Dad had a sense
of fairness and rightness that he strove to embody in all his
actions. I learned a lot from Dad. Stay centered in the moment,
refrain from speaking angry or hurtful words that you might later
regret, live according to my principles at all times, help those
who need help and use the brain God gave me to make the world
a better place."
Each West Pointer hopes when he joins the Long
Gray Line in the sky that his classmates will honor him with
those words from the alma mater that mean so much. So the Class
of 1946 is proud to say to our friend and classmate: "Well
Done, Andy; Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his children
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