Editor's note: This is a semi-regular feature that announces the deaths of people who lived in or impacted Santa Monica. Oftentimes the names and information are gathered from the ends of City Council meetings, when council adjourns in the memory of those who've passed.
Kieran McCann, an 18-year-old Santa Monican, was remembered as "the quintessential cool guy" by Councilmember Gleam Davis at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
McCann's body was found on a beach near University of St Andrews in Scotland last month, according to a United Kingdom-based newspaper called The Courier. McCann was a freshman at the university.
His death was described by paper as a "tragic accident" and there was not believed to be any foul play.
McCann attended high school at Windward School in Los Angeles.
Head of the school, Tom Gilder, dedicated a school-wide festival to McCann last week, saying: "We ... celebrate the vibrancy and joy with which Kieran lived his life."
McCann played football at Windward and was a hockey goalie, Davis said, which is how her son came to know him.
On a memorial page on Windward's website, commenters called him "charming," "stunningly handsome" and "sweet," lauding his ability to connect with friends.
"He was the quintessential cool guy: Wore a leather jacket, road a motorcycle, and had aviator sun glasses," Davis said. "I think everybody who knew Kieran just thought the world of him."
A service was held Thursday at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica. University of St Andrews held a memorial gathering on the same day.
Upon learning that he was missing, more than 300 fellow university students rallied search groups until his body was found.
"Kieran will be missed," Davis said, "not just by his family but the community at large and certainly a number of young people here in Santa Monica who were lucky enough to know him and be touched by him."
Charles 'Chuck' Hodgin
Chuck Hodgin, 93, who moved to Santa Monica in 1941, died Feb. 8. Originally from Missouri, he was deemed by Mayor Kevin McKeown to be an official Santa Monican.
"He moved here when he was 19," McKeown said. "His parents' home was located at Cloverfield and Pearl in Sunset Park. Charles 'Chuck' Hodgin took classes at Santa Monica College when it was still on the Santa Monica High School campus -- that's how long ago it was. He served in World War II. He worked as a master mechanic at the Douglas Aircraft Company for 40 years, so talk about being a part of our industrial history. He volunteered as a scoutmaster. He was an active member of Calvary Church."
He was married for 58 years to Emmalie Hodgin, a founder of Friends of Sunset Park.
He had four kids, eight grandkids and nine great-grandchildren.
In a 2009 profile of Emmalie Hodgin in the Daily Press, she described befriending Chuck before falling in love with him.
"Become best friends first," she said. "Then you know you can spend the rest of your lives together."
dave@www.smdp.com
