South Jersey native among Washington Navy Yard shooting victims

A Navy veteran and South Jersey native was among the victims of Monday's mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard.

The Washington Post reports that 54-year-old Martin Bodrog, who served in the Navy for 22 years, retired as a Surface Warfare Officer and then oversaw procecurement of amphibious war ships for the Pentagon as a civilian, was born in Woodbury.

He graduated from Audubon High School in 1977, according to his high school yearbook, posted on a Flickr page of the school's alumni.

Known then as "Bods" or "Marty," the yearbook says Bodrog "was never at a loss; he had a crack for all occasions." He was a member of the Honor Society, played football and wrestled.

Gay Moceri, a former Audubon teacher, wrote on a legacy.com page for Bodrog that he remembered his former student as "very bright and also very funny." A classmate said he was "a sweet guy who always had something nice to say."

Bodrog graduated from the Naval Academy in 1981, according to the Post, and lived in Annandale, Va.

He is survived by his wife, Melanie, and three daughters, 23-year-old Isabel, 17-year-old Sophie and 16-year-old Rita.

Bodrog's brother, Julius Bodrog, who lives in Sewell, N.J., described him to NBC Philadelphia as a "fantastic brother, husband and father."

Close friend and family spokesman Jeff Prowse told the Associated Press that Bodrog cared deeply about his family and his work.

"The one thing that always stuck out to me about Marty ... was how absolutely driven he was to make sure that the equipment we were giving our Marines and sailors was absolutely the best he could be," Prowse said. "It was not a job for Marty, it was an absolute calling."

He was transferred from the Pentagon to the Navy Yard in January, according to Prowse.

Bodrog, who has also lived in Indiana and Massachusetts, has been described as an avid Boston Bruins fan and was active in his church.

"He was such a choice servant of Christ and was in every way a man who lived his life to honor Christ," Steve Holley, pastor at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, Va., wrote on the church's website.