Alex Fairly reflects on the loss of Jerry Hodge, friend, business partner

With the recent death of Jerry Hodge, close friend and Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly reflected on his close friendship with the former Amarillo mayor.

“Ah, just, I think it’s a really sad day for his family and for me personally, and more than anything for Amarillo,” Fairly said. “He was a tremendous asset to our city and our area, and we’re going to miss him.”

Fairly has been friends with Hodge for about six years, but he said they developed a strong relationship during their brief friendship. According to Fairly, they got to know each other very well during the process of bringing a baseball team to town.

“Even though we’ve been here for years and of course he’s been here forever, we never met or crossed paths until someone introduced us during that time,” he said. “We became fast friends and worked together on that business and had to find our way through something that seemed impossible for many days, and after that we just became very close friends, staying in close touch, of course, ever since.”

Hodge died last week at the age of 81, and visitation was held Wednesday at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors. Funeral services are Thursday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church, with burial to follow at Llano Cemetery.

Among Fairly’s favorite memories of Hodge was of them working together to bring that baseball team to town and the conversations they shared.

“We hit a dead end that seemed impossible to get around and everyone was ready to give up, including me,” he said. “And we met for lunch and everyone was jaw-dropped thinking it was over, and Jerry Hodge came up with a really bold idea to keep the thing alive. And while we didn’t end up executing that idea, the pursuit of that idea is what led us to bring Sod Poodles here.”

Among the most admirable qualities Fairly liked about Hodge was his care, which showed during those negotiations.

“So much has been said about his resilience and determination to do something that he thought was important,” Fairly said. “I could tell you so much more. There were times when Jerry was just tough as hell and when someone needed it, he had the guts to be tough. There were other times when he was soft, gentle and incredibly generous. It’s hard to pick one, but that’s what I’d say.”

Guest opinion column: Jerry Hodge – Unrivaled

It was said that while Hodge was a fierce negotiator, he also had a heart for the community and people often failed to see Hodge’s softer side in public.

“He was so versatile. He could be as tough as anybody when a situation called for him to be tough,” he said. “And for people who only saw Jerry’s early days when a situation called for him to be tough, he could be as tough as anybody. And for those who only saw those days of Jerry, they probably had a perception that this is how he’s always been. But then there were, there were times when Jerry was incredibly generous, he was gentle and thoughtful, he was caring and thoughtful, and he loved people. And so if you saw all those things, you knew him to be one of the most complete people you’d ever know in your life, but if you only saw him in certain places, the hard stuff tended to either the public. the.”

Photo gallery: A look at Jerry Hodge’s legacy over the years

While Fairly sees in the city’s landscape many achievements that Hodge was a part of, he believes that the football field and the team he helped bring to the city will be a great reminder of his lasting legacy.

“Although I have to say, it’s tough because he did so many things, but I think, I think 30 years from now, that’s what people will remember is the baseball park that bears his name and his role in bringing in the pros. baseball in town,” Fairly added. “I think Amarillo lost a great city champion.”