Hodo Ҫakshiri 10/5/38 - 5/17/13

Hodo was my cousin by marriage. Life circumstances prevented a close acquaintance but not a fond one.  I remember him as unfailingly cheerful and engaging.  The world is a poorer place for his absence.  This is the text of the comments delived by his son Alexander at a memorial gathering for friends and family.:


     Hodo Cakshiri was born near his early childhood home of Poloske, Albania on October 5, 1938. He conquered his first life challenge when he had to be delivered in a hospital some distance away. Times were difficult in Europe and foreign troops repeatedly trod through his village. On one occasion when the family was fleeing for their lives, an uncle told Hodo's mother to just throw him down to the side and save herself since she could make more babies. Gladly, she carried him on.
     The family eventually sought safety and moved to the port city of Durres. Their home was not to stay their own, as one by one rooms were taken over by the government. Despite not having enough food, and no shoes, Hodo was an excellent student and attended mechanical school. When large tractor drivers were needed, he was sent to the eastern border with Yugoslavia. When his thoughts turned to escaping across the border, he knew he had to move quickly for fear his manner might give him away. He ran for his life, while others less fortunate were shot trying. He never again saw or had contact with his mother, his father, and two of his sisters.
     Communist Yugoslavia put him in prison for months. When released he made an unsuccessful attempt to cross into Greece, and was returned to prison. His second attempt was successful and he spent time in a refugee camp and at a mechanical school. The American Army came giving tests that only Hodo passed. He was enlisted, became a tank driver, and spent five years in Germany, including cold winters on the Czech border. There were also good times, and he had a daughter he named Jeanette, who would later gave him grandsons Jake and Kobe. He re-enlisted for three more years and went to jungle training school in Panama, to Korea at the border with North Korea in the winter, and saw action in Viet Nam.
     Sergeant Hodo received an Honorable Discharge and began his civilian life in California. He drove heavy trucks, including those that were used in construction of the Simi freeway through the pass from the San Fernando Valley. He was parking celebrity cars in Beverly Hills and running his own lots when he met Barbara. They dated, and got married 42 years ago. They lived on the west side of Los Angeles and bought their first of several houses. He opened a deli and worked for the school district. They took their first of many trips together, spending 11 weeks driving throughout Europe.
     They moved to the San Fernando Valley and were excited to welcome into the world their son Alexander. Desiring a calmer life, they moved to Arroyo Grande on the Central Coast. Hodo worked at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant until they were once again thrilled to become parents of their son Robert. They returned to LA briefly, but spent the remainder of their years together on the Central Coast. Whenever he was home, Hodo could be seen outside where he enjoyed taking care of his plants and trees. The family had many good times together as he drove their motor home throughout much of the United States and through Canada to Alaska. They also traveled together to Hawaii and through Europe. Hodo knew first hand the difficulties of life in Albania. He went to extraordinary steps and risk to bring two nephews, then a niece to America. In recent years he lived with the effects of a stroke, but persevered. His family expanded when Robert and Alexander married Silvia and Rui, and each gave him a grandson: Owen and Leotrim. His children and grandchildren were the light of his life. He could never get enough of them and cherished their time together, their phone calls, and looking at their pictures.
     Hodo met and stood up to a number of medical issues, particularly in his last six months. In every case he conquered the challenge and continued to live life fully to his last day. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. May he forever rest in peace.
     We love you. We miss you. We will always remember you.