Stephen J. Hodos

Stephen Joseph Hodos, of Rochester and Poughkeepsie, New York, passed away on April 5 at the age of 78. A graduate of Poughkeepsie High School, he was employed for almost four decades with the New York State Department of Transportation, where he designed traffic intersections, planned route and hazard signage, counted traffic flows, stamped permits, found ways to frustrate community members, denied special requests, played jokes on his colleagues, and, famously, delivered 20 dozen Donuts Delite hot cross donuts to his co-workers every Ash Wednesday.

Steve was for many years a home brewer and certified beer judge. He was 12-time president of the Upstate New York Homebrewers Association, was inducted into the UNYHA Hall of Fame, and even served repeatedly as an officer of the Canadian Amateur Brewers Association. He was a notorious man-about-town, never happier than when he was making the rounds of breweries and pubs from Boston to Buffalo, asking about their new recipes and business plans. He was the proud holder of mug #1 at the Old Toad.

Steve loved maps, Peeps, his family, buses and trains, Jimi Hendrix and the Lovin’ Spoonful, bad jokes, guinea pigs, and the most boring TV shows he could find. He already knew the most obscure trivia you could find. He was larger than life, and all of our lives are smaller without him.

Steve was the son of Stephen V. and Laura (Azzolina) Hodos, also of Poughkeepsie. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Donna (Bunten) Hodos, his sister Tina Antonetti, brother Jon Hodos (and Beth), son Jerome Hodos (and Veronika) and daughter Rachel Ciccaglione, his grandchildren Adele (and Evan), Laurel, DJ (and Deanna), and Benjamin, and a large extended family.

In lieu of flowers, we ask, as Steve always did, that you get together with someone you care about and enjoy the beverage of your choice: “Beer, coffee, espresso, tea, Postum?” The family will not be holding a public memorial service at this time.