Susan Conjurski, president/CEO ofthe $24 million PrintingIndustries Credit Union in Commerce, Calif., recalls a casualconversation about motorcycles she had with her newly hired vicepresident of operations Larry Dodge, who drove his motorcycle towork every morning.

“We got into a conversation about motorcycles because my sonrecently bought a Harley Davidson, which as a mother I wasn't toohappy about,” said Conjurski. Then Dodge began to assure her thatriding a motorcycle is safe, noting that he had been a motorcyclistfor a long time.

The next morning, on Jan. 10, as he was driving his motorcycleto a meeting with Conjurski in Commerce, Dodge died after hismotorcycle was involved in an accident with a car just a mile fromwhere he was to meet Conjurski, said Dodge's stepson, Nicholas S.Shantar, a senior counsel with the Los Angeles law firm AllenMatkins' Irvine office.

“His heart stopped when he was under surgery for internalbleeding,” said Shantar. “He was talking at the scene and talkinggoing into surgery. I think he was aware that my mom (PatriciaDodge) was on her way to the hospital while he was going intosurgery. But by the time she got there, he had passed away. It waspretty traumatic for her. She is doing better now in a relativesense but it is still heartbreaking. It certainly came as a shockand our family is devastated.”

The 65-year-old Dodge, a well-known executive veteran who workedin the California credit union industry for more than 20 years,married Patricia eight and a half years ago. They lived in MissionViejo.

Shantar said Dodge was wearing a helmet, but he still doesn'tyet know all of the details of the accident or how it happenedother than the fact that Dodge's motorcycle came into contact withanother car at the intersection of South Garfield Avenue andRandolph streets in Los Angeles between 8:30 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.

“I've asked for the police report a million times and they keeptelling us it is going to be a month before it's ready,” saidShantar. “It's somewhat frustrating, but what are you going todo.”

The accident investigation is being handled by East Los AngelesDivision of the Los Angeles Sherriff's Department.

Shantar said Dodge has been cremated and the family has notdecided on a memorial service yet.

“I think if the family does some (memorial) service it will bepretty small,” said Shantar. “I don't think we will be making apublic announcement for a funeral service. That's the way Larrywould have wanted it. Larry was the kind of guy who wouldn't wantpeople getting upset (over his death). He would want people toremember him for who he was and move on. He was just alwaysthinking of others.”

Conjurski said Dodge had been working as a compliance consultantfor Printing Industries Credit Union for about three years until hewas hired as the cooperative's vice president of operations on Dec.13.

“He was a key person at the credit union and was veryknowledgeable,” Conjurski said. “One thing I can sum up about himis that the man had a heart of gold. He was willing to helpanybody, anytime, anywhere.”

Dodge launched his career in 1990 at the Toyota Motor FederalCredit Union where he was vice president of branch administration.In 1998, he was named president/CEO of the Nissan Federal CreditUnion. In October of 2008, he became a consultant and joinedShapiro Partners in Brea, Calif.