Benjamin Joe Hodgson

Benjamin Joe Hodgson, beloved husband of Luella (Hoffmann) Hodgson and son of Joseph and Effie Hodgson, went to be in the arms of God on September 17, 2026. Ben was born on June 15, 1932. As a boy, he worked on the family farm in Mazomanie with his father and brothers. After graduating from Mazomanie High School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served as a communications specialist during the Korean Conflict. In June 1954, he married his sweetheart (Ludaboo), Luella Hoffmann, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Marxville.

The couple moved to New York, where Ben continued his Air Force service and their daughter Ginny was born in 1955. After completing his military service, Ben returned with his family to Wisconsin and farmed for Donald and Mary Gill in Madison. He later moved back to Mazomanie and joined the grounds staff at the University of Wisconsin. Sons Neil and Stuart were born in 1960 and 1961. In 1962, Ben and Luella moved onto the family farm in Mazomanie, and daughter Pam was born in 1965. Ben farmed until the mid-80s, then worked for Patrons’ Mercantile Co-op feed mill. After that he worked for News Publishing Company in Black Earth for many years. His love of farming never faded, and after leaving the newspaper, he helped his nephew Scott Evert at The Evert Farms. He continued farming until a serious accident at age 81. With faith and determination, Ben recovered quickly, though his injuries kept him from returning to farm work. This accident also ended his 60 years of bowling at Black Earth Lanes. Ben was active in many groups and organizations.

Ben was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mazomanie, now New Heights Lutheran Church and served many positions on the Church Council. He also held several leadership roles in Greening Buelow Legion Post 437, including Commander, longtime Finance Officer, and Chaplin. He was also Dane County Commander from 1988-1990, Finance Officer for the Wisconsin Dane County Council of the American Legion. He performed in many productions with the Mazomanie Repertory and Renovating Theater group, served for many years on the Patrons’ Mercantile Co-op board in Black Earth, and played trumpet with the Iron Horse Cornet Band for more than 20 years, continuing well into his 80s. In 2000 he was awarded Citizen of the Year in the Township of Mazomanie. He also served on the Town of Mazomanie Board and had served as President of Wild West Days for many years. He was well known for his Wild West Days hat and vest that adorned all the Wild West Day event buttons from every year,  and enjoyed pitching horseshoes at Wild West Day events. Ben was an active member of the Mazomanie Lions Club. He lived a full life and brightened every room he entered. Ben was loved by many and will be deeply missed.

Ben is survived by his wife, Luella (Hoffmann) Hodgson; daughters Ginny (Greg) Buzzell and Pamela (Rob) Metzdorf, Jr. and sons Neil (Misti) Hodgson and Stuart (Lynn) Hodgson. He is also survived by grandsons Jeremy (Jennifer) Buzzell, Zachary (Ashley) Hodgson, Dustin (Madeline) Hodgson, Calvin (Marissa) Metzdorf, Benjamin Metzdorf, and Dalton Metzdorf; granddaughters Corinne (Weston) Baur, Makon (Dennis) Ford, Cassandra (Jeremy) Foxen, and Amanda Hodgson; great-grandsons Samuel (Brandi) Baur, Jake (Elyse) Baur, Noah Buzzell, Sunny Buzzell, Asher Hodgson, Maddox Hodgson, Jaxson Hodgson, Ayden Foxen, Myles Metzdorf, and Porter Hodgson; great-granddaughters Sophie (Owen) Atkinson, Christina Baur, Kennedi Novian, Stayci Novian, Zoe Buzzell, RaeLynn Hodgson, and Ashlynn Foxen, as well as a great-granddaughter due in December; and great-great-granddaughters Sawyer Baur and Margaret Baur, as well as a great-great-grandson due in December. He is further survived by his brothers Paul (Karen) Hodgson, Phil (Gloria) Hodgson, Joe (Carol) Hodgson, and Ned Hodgson; sisters Barbara Paar, Averil (Gary) Sutcliffe, and Verna Wallace; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Effie Hodgson; brothers Donald Hodgson and Claude Hodgson; sister Evelyn (Hodgson) Roessler; brothers-in-law Lawrence Paar, Donald Wallace and LaVern Roessler; and sisters-in-law Ruthann Hodgson and Dorothy Hodgson.

Services were held Monday, September 21, 2026, at New Heights Lutheran Church at The Grove, 314 Anne St., Mazomanie. Visitation was from 9:00am – 11:30am with services following. Family and friends proceeded to the Mazomanie Protestant Cemetery for Military Honors and internment and returned to The Grove for lunch. Memorials were to be made to the family for a charity donation to be made at a later date. The Celebration of Life service is available on YouTube. Search for New Heights Church (NHLC).