Gregory Lyle Hodgen

Gregory Lyle Hodgen

December 25, 1956-April 1, 2026

Written by Greg

It’s been said by some that I think a little different than everybody else. Being called an Artiste, which to me, translates to weirdo. Lol. I’ve always seen myself as a free thinker.

I was born in Spiritwood, Saskatchewan on Christmas Day 1956. I made my appearance at 8:15 p.m. and disrupted my doctor’s dinner.

Once the family relocated to Innisfail, Alberta, I made new friends and became involved in sports. I especially loved hockey, developing goaltending skills at an early age. I also loved horses, but unfortunately, I suffered a badly broken leg in a riding accident. That put an end to my goal tending dreams.

I was the first kid on the block to attend a Rock Concert. My sister Nancy accompanied me to see Steppenwolf in Calgary in 1969. From that point forward, my dream was to be a rock star, like every kid dreams about something during their life.

I wasn’t much interested in school until I moved to Lethbridge, Alberta in 1973, where I attended two semesters at a high school that offered Auto Body. I painted my first car in 1975 at the Lethbridge Community College and later worked at a Ford Dealership. I have been involved with autobody and painting for much of my life.

My obsession with music began at an early age, but it wasn’t until 1977, when I was about 21, that I met a band in Medicine Hat that needed a vocalist. It wasn’t easy, as we spent time rehearsing and developing my voice than playing in public. After countless hours, we were ready. We played in places in Calgary and made it to a school dance in Innisfail. I went on to perform with many different cover bands in Central Alberta on a part-time basis throughout the ‘80s, 90s and early 2000s. It was a gas while it lasted. I co-founded a rock band in Calgary in the early ‘90s. We composed, recorded and performed our own songs, and played all over the city. We were featured on Shaw Cable’s Mobile Music machine on dozens of occasions.

In 1979, at the age of 23, I got it in my head to hitchhike around the U.S. That period of time was definitely not a highlight of my life, just merely a series of experiences. With four road partners, we zig zagged our way across the country and made our way slowly to Stoneville, North Carolina, visiting major cities throughout the southeastern U.S. Then the time came for me to make my way home. I’d been gone for a little over 3 months. In Georgia, a Staff Sgt was making his way to a new post at El Toro Marine Base during the Iran war, and he drove me almost non-stop to California. Upon arrival, he gave me, a Canadian Civilian, a tour of the base. It was amazing! I left after a few days in California and made my way back home. I would never even consider doing this again in todays society. I was so happy to have returned safely back then. Today, I doubt I would ever have made it home. I met many great people in my travels and a few unsavory characters as well. Since that time, I’ve worked many different, unfulfilling jobs. My only real self-satisfaction comes through creation or restoration. I’ve been working in the classic car restoration and sign manufacturing industry for much of my life.

Escaping the chaos of city life. I relocated to a tiny hamlet in east Saskatchewan in 2008. I purchased a shack to live in and an abandoned liquor store that I transformed into a classic car restoration shop. I have met many good people and made endearing friendships through my work. I have saved a lot of classic cars and made a lot of dreams come true. And my dreams of restoring a 1947 Yellow Chevrolet Panel Van come true.

The work I love so much has taken its toll on me. My circle of friends makes it all worthwhile. I was pre-deceased by my Dad, Gordon in 1998. I am survived by my mother, two brothers and my sister, Nancy. Some may mourn my passing, and some may rejoice. It is out of my control. I lived my life My Way.

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