Alice Hodges

A woman who considered serving others to be a great privilege, Alice Hodges touched the hearts and lives of so many within her reach. The Catholic faith was not only a cornerstone in her life, but also the compass she used for guiding her every thought, word, and deed. With the love of her life by her side for more than 50 years, Alice raised the children who were her greatest source of pride and joy and although she cherished being a mother, she just may have argued that becoming a grandmother and great-grandmother was the very best part. A woman of grace, compassion, and quiet strength, Alice will be deeply missed while her memory remains forever near and dear to all our hearts.

As the 1920s dawned in America the winds of change were on the horizon as we closed the chapter of our nation’s involvement in WWI and looked forward to embracing our new status as a world leader. It was amidst this exciting time that a young family from Shepherd, Michigan, was anticipating the birth of a new baby. Their wait was over on March 5, 1920, when the baby they named Alice was born. She was born on her grandpa and grandma’s farm where her parents were living at the time during an unforgettable snowstorm. Alice was the oldest of five girls in her family including her sisters, Marietta, Jacqueline, Elizabeth, and Doris.

During her earliest years Alice’s father worked as a farmer but when she was six years old, their family moved to Flint, Michigan, where her father secured a job working second shift on the assembly line at General Motors. Alice’s mother was a busy homemaker.

For her education Alice attended Lincoln Elementary School where she developed a love for drama and acting beginning in the second grade. She continued acting through her years in junior high school, and she could carry a tune very well, too. Alice went on to Flint Central High School, graduating in 1938. With a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, Alice attended St. Lawrence School of Nursing and graduated in 1941.

Not to be forgotten during this time was Alice’s introduction to the man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was William Hodges, and they were introduced by a mutual friend during a scavenger hunt. He was one year her senior to the day as they shared a birthday. After he graduated, Bill and a group of his buddies began coming by her home as he was dependent on them for a car. Alice agreed to go with the group if she got to sit next to Bill. He was more than happy to oblige, and they were smitten with each other from the start. A dating relationship ensued over the next few years and the couple was married on February 7, 1942 at St. Matthews Catholic Church in Flint. The newlyweds were soon separated for a short time when Bill was drafted into the service. Luckily he was stationed stateside during WWII at an Army and Air Force base in Orlando, Florida. Alice joined him there in December of 1942 until he was discharged in 1946.

They returned to Flint until 1955 before moving briefly to Jackson until 1958. From there they settled in Kalamazoo for many years and raised their ten children together. Alice began working as an RN at Bronson Hospital where she reviewed discharge orders and handled admitting as well. She finally began working in quality assurance where she remained until she retired in 1990. Alice would rather do laundry, which she usually did all day on Saturday while the children took care of the chores, than tend to the cooking or tackle the other household needs. Bill was the chef in the family although Alice made a mean apple crisp and was described as the queen of cookies and ice cream.

Throughout her life Alice was accompanied by her unwavering faith and was a devout Catholic. She was committed to Catholic education and saw to it that all of her children attended Catholic schools. Alice was the president of Workers of Mary at St. Augustine for a time and also of the Family Life Institute. She and Bill assisted with the transition from Latin to English during the Vatican II in the mid-sixties. It was easy to see by the way she lived her life that Alice was fully devoted to the Blessed Mary, and that she truly believed in the value of prayer and made sure to pray the Rosary on a daily basis.

Together Alice and Bill modeled what marriage is truly intended to be. They were true soul mates, and she considered her wedding day to be the greatest day of her life. They loved spending time at their cottage on Townline Lake in Lakeview where they frequently hosted their children and grandchildren for plenty of playing and staying, too. Alice and Bill moved there year round in 1992, and it was where Bill died on September 11, 1993. Alice was deeply saddened with her husband’s death, but came into her own after he died as she had always allowed him to shine. She remained at the lake home until October of 2002 when she moved to Crossroads Village in Kalamazoo - a place she loved.

During her sunset years Alice continued to delight in her children and grandchildren, and always did her best to make every grandchild’s special moment including first communions, graduations, and weddings. She regularly sent cards out to everyone in her family with a $10 check inside, and prayed for them daily as well. Alice enjoyed doing crossword puzzles and read the newspaper from cover to cover, clipping coupons along the way.

It brought such peace to the friends and loved ones of Alice Hodges to know they were covered in prayer every day. She was a woman who was beautiful on the inside and out and a true gift in the lives of many.

Alice Hodges died September 16, 2011. Alice’s family includes her 10 children: Kathleen McClellan (Christopher Schrick); Colleen (Patrick) Simpson; Patrick Hodges; Maureen Markillie (Loreto Tessicini); Darleen (Jonathan) Greenert; Eileen Hodges; Michael (Dodi) Hodges; Janeen (Vijay) Sonnad; Matthew Hodges and Laureen (Douglas) Urey; 35 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; a great-great-granddaughter; 2 sisters: Marietta Hodges and Jacqueline (James) DePriest and several nieces and nephews. Alice was preceded in death by her husband, William J. Hodges; 3 grandchildren: Elizabeth Hodges, Kirk McClellan and Dierdre McCaffery and 2 sisters: Elizabeth Banovich and Doris Crooks. Learn more about Alice and share in some refreshments with her family and friends on Tuesday from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler-Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900 where a rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday 10 a.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral. Burial will take place at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo or sign her memory book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial donations may be directed to St. Augustine Cathedral Heating Assistance Fund or Alzheimer Association of Greater Michigan.