David Ray Hodgson

David Ray Hodgson was born April 13, 1949, and he died May 8, 2026 at home with family and caregivers at his side. David died from complications related to frontotemporal dementia.

Above all, David is remembered for kindness and humility, a unique sense of humor, love for family and friends, and lifelong dedication to public service in emergency medical services (EMS) as a paramedic, firefighter, and educator.

David was born in El Paso, TX to Edward (Ray) and Loretta Hodgson. His parents raised their family in Boulder, Colorado where he graduated from Boulder High School in 1967 and attended the University of Colorado. From 1970-1974, he served in the United States Air Force as Fire Protection Specialist and Staff Sergeant for the 44th Civil Engineering Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base. He was a Fire Protection Inspector at EAFB from 1974-1976. Hodgson launched his EMS career in Rapid City and completed the Rapid City Regional Hospital Paramedic Program in 1979. He worked for Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Medical Service, EmergiCare, and AMR ambulance services. He joined Rapid City Fire Department as Firefighter Paramedic from 1988-1996. Hodgson was dedicated to peer support of colleagues facing the trauma of EMS work through the Katharsis Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team. In 1996, he received the South Dakota “Stars of Life” award for above-and-beyond service to his community.

David and his family moved to Saint Paul, MN in 1999 where he worked for Regions Hospital as an EMS Clinical Supervisor for Saint Paul Fire Department. David connected with firefighters, EMTs, and Medics as an educator. He appreciated their common spark of vocation, dedication to serve, and the challenge of working the streets in EMS. He could spin a good story with subtle wit. David retired from his 40-year career in EMS in 2015.

David was an avid reader and enjoyed subjects from Minnesota history to Catholic mysticism. He collected Superman comic books .... and tattoos. He shot thousands of photos, hunted for fossils, researched ancestry, and made it to the kids’ hockey games and events. David loved riding his Harley in the Hills, sweetening the ride with a stop for pie and ice cream.

David is survived by siblings, Karen Hodgson and Noel Hodgson; his children, Joshua Hodgson, Michelle Hodgson (died in infancy), Michaela Hodgson (Seattle), and Aedan Hodgson (Chicago); and his former wife and friend, Mary Healy.

Thanks to the Minneapolis VA and Regions Hospital for medical care during Hodgson’s journey from dementia diagnosis through end-of-life. Special thanks to Becky and David Gallati for their loving care for David.

Services celebrating Hodgson’s life will be held in Saint Paul and Rapid City in July, 2026. He will be buried at Black Hills National Cemetery.