Jan. 19, 1958 ~ Dec. 14, 2016
On December 14, 2016 Bryan Frank Hodge, 58, died in Carson City, NV.
He was born on January 18, 1958 in San Bernardino, CA to Dora Ellen “Dorellen” (Sheppard) Hodge and Ellison Henry Hodge, their first child. Their marriage ended in divorce.
Bryan was the owner of the Manger Bookstore in Carson City, NV from 1982 to 2014. He accepted Jesus as his Savior when he was five years old, was baptized while in Jr. College and rededicated his life again in the early 1990’s.
He graduated from Pacific High School in San Bernardino, CA in 1976 and after moving his mother, sister and brother to Northern California he received his A.A. Degree from Columbia Jr. College. He then moved to Carson City, NV, living with his grandparents and earned his B.S. in Environmental Science from Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village, NV in 1980.
His first job was at The Broadway in San Bernardino. He also worked at Dodge Ridge Ski Resort in CA, Wienerschnitzel and Grand Auto in Carson City.
In 1982 Bryan and his sister opened the Manger Bookstore in Carson City with financial help from their mother. It became the family business with their mom retiring from teaching and joining the store full-time in 1985, and their brother helping during the summer, holiday breaks and some weekends. The Manger also brought many Christian concerts to Carson City and the greater Reno area including Steve Camp, Steve Taylor, Stryper, Randy Stonehill, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant and more. The store worked with the Billy Graham Association and numerous local churches to bring many movies to Carson City. Bryan and his mother also shared the Good News of Jesus at China Springs Youth Camp. Bryan took full responsibility of the Manger in the mid 1990’s, after his sibling’s marriages and his mother’s final retirement. He was also active in the Christian Bookseller’s Association writing articles and teaching classes at their gatherings.
Bryan was preceded in death by his father, grandparents, mother and a cousin.
He is survived by his brother, Barry, of Virginia and his wife, Mary, and their children (Jordan, Emma, Aaron and Giana), sister, Julie, of Washington and her husband, Jeffrey, and their children (Rachel and Simon), and an aunt and cousins in California.
A memorial service will be held at Calvary Chapel of Carson City, NV on January 21, 2017 at 2 pm.
Memorial donations can be made to: Billy Graham Evangelical Association, www.billygraham.org or to Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inc., www.cefonline.com or to your home church.
To share a memory, photo, leave a message or send your thoughts go to: 1982theMangerBookstore2014CCNV@gmail.com
A Facebook page will be started to remember the Manger and Bryan’s life, photos and the memorial service will be at: www.facebook.com/1982themangerbookstore2014ccnv
