Francis Albert ‘Al’ Hodgin, 80, died Wednesday, October 18th at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center in Ft. Meade, South Dakota after a brief illness. Al was born in Rapid City on December 14, 1925. He attended Rapid City Central High school. In 1942, he enlisted in the Navy and was aboard ship in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. After the war, he returned to South Dakota and remained a lifelong resident. He resided in Watertown and Yankton in the 1950s and 1960’s, returning to Rapid City in 1970. He was an active member of the WØBLK Black Hills Amateur Radio Club and members are considered honorary pallbearers.His survivors include his son Larry Albert Hodgin, wife Karen and family of Cologne, MN and son Lloyd Douglas Hodgin, wife Kim and family of Aberdeen, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Lyra Hodgin, sister Doris Brown and son David Lee Hodgin.