Hal Bodon, founder of Missouri Southern Soccer program, dies in Utah
A pioneer in sports in the Joplin area, Dr. Harold “Hal” Bodon died on December 23rd at the home of his son and daughter-in-law in Lehi, Utah.
Dr. Bodon was born on May 19th, 1936, in Stuttgart, Germany, the fifth of six children. He attended elementary and secondary school in Germany. His family immigrated to the United States and arrived in Salt Lake City in 1952. He lived in Salt Lake City for nine years.
In 1955 he started college at Brigham Young University and later transferred to the University of Utah where he graduated cum laude in 1959.
After his sophomore year he met Sonja Nelly Zbinden who had immigrated from Switzerland. After a short engagement period they were married and sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple on August 23rd, 1957, and were happily married for 65 years.
His first job after graduating from the University of Utah was teaching French and German at Clearfield High School in Clearfield, Utah. After his first year there, he moved with his family to Fremont, California, where he taught French and German at Newark High School, in Newark, California. In 1964, he started a soccer program at Newark High School. He also attended California State College at Hayward where he was awarded a master’s degree in educational administration in 1966. He also did graduate work at the University of Nevada at Reno and at Michigan State University.
After teaching at Newark High School for seven years and at Ohlone College for one year he decided to go back to BYU to work on a PhD in French Literature and German Linguistics, which he attained in 1979.
He then took a position at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin where he taught for 25 years. He also started the soccer program at Missouri Southern State University and coached the team for 17 years, being voted “Coach of the Year” in the NAIA, District 16 in 1979. In 1985 he traveled with his team to Europe where they played games in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and came back home with a combined record of 6 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties.
In 1998, the soccer field at Missouri Southern became known as the “Hal Bodon Soccer Field” and in 2012, he was inducted into the Missouri Southern State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
He also was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holding several leadership positions.
He and his wife lived in Ivins, Utah for 25 years. 2000 – 2010 he was an Adjunct Professor in French, German and English as a second Language at Dixie State College in St. George Utah.
Also, in 2000 he organized the Ivins Soccer League in Ivins, Utah and in 2004 was awarded “Volunteer of the Year” and was appointed Grand Marshall of the Pioneer Day Parade in Ivins.
In 2010 – 2012 he was appointed Director of the Soccer Tournament for the Huntsman World Senior Games also in St. George, Utah.
He is survived by his son Michael (Amber) two grandchildren, Carson and Rachel Reynolds Bodon, and two step grandchildren Madison and Eli Baldwin.
He was proceeded in death by his parents Heinrich and Lina Bodon, wife Sonja, son Peter, son Tommy and step grandchild McKelle Baldwin.
Viewing and internment were held in Utah on December 30th.