Harold Hodson

It is with an unmeasurable amount of sadness that the family of Harold Keith Hodson, age 35 years, announce his sudden passing from natural causes at his home in Denver, Colorado on November 4 th , 2021. A Celebration of Keith’s life was held November 13 th , at The Stone House in Lakewood, Colorado. The Natural Funeral in Lafayette, Colorado, handled the family’s needs and wishes with compassionate understanding and support.

Keith was born on July 17th, 1986 to Rick and Liz Hodson in Burlington, N.C. Keith graduated from Graham High School in 2004, and he went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with a focus on social and economic justice in 2008, Keith worked for several years for Habitat for Humanity. Keith also volunteered with AmeriCorps, passionately working with students to prepare them for higher education, careers, and life upon graduation from high school.

He advanced his studies and obtained his Master of Arts in Political Science from Appalachian State University in 2012. Keith pursued his doctorate degree at the University of California, Davis, spending several years in Sacramento teaching political science and conducting research on a number of public policy strategies, including innovative responses to homelessness.

Keith moved to Denver, Colorado, in 2018 to pursue his career in research. He was working in the Office of Research and Statistics for the state Department of Criminal Justice at the time of his death. His work focused on the sharing of data between jails, healthcare providers, and others in an effort to improve people’s lives.

Keith was predeceased by father, Richard Keith Hodson, and his paternal and maternal grandparents.

Keith is survived by his mother, Liz Hodson, and sister, Katie Hodson, (Gibsonville, North Carolina) as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that span the globe.

In his personal life, Keith met dozens of friends through sports like ultimate Frisbee, running, and, most recently, skiing. To his teammates, he was known affectionately as “Big Sugar.” He read widely and savored music, especially on vinyl. He could hold forth on any topic in conversations that were sure to be illuminating and opinionated. He loved to bring together new groups of friends.

His friends and family will forever treasure his loyalty, his genius sense of adventure, his humor, his intelligence, and his care.

He loved this life, and he made each day more brilliant for those around him. He wanted nothing more than to enjoy this world in the present, but also to improve it for the future. In his absence, he would ask us all to do the same.

He left too soon — he surely would have done great things in the years to come — but he’ll be held close forever by the countless people who loved him.