Section: 323A Lot: 54 Grave: 1

Obituary

Lee James Hodges, 58, died September 11, 2011, after a long bout with cancer, at his home near Hahira, GA. Born May 17, 1953, in Burlington, Iowa, he was the son of James and Evelyn Rust Hodges. In October 1978 he married Kathleen Morris. Lee is survived by his wife Kathy, his daughter Jamie(Chris)Speldrick, grandchildren Gabriella and Ashton, his mother Evelyn and sister Carolyn(Rob) Dorting both of Burlington, his brother Alan (Susan) Hodges of Gainesville, FL. He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.

Lee had a strong spiritual sense and became a "believer" at the age of 10. He considered himself a "lamb of Jesus" even as an adult. He was devoted to his family and a faithful friend.

Lee spent many happy days throughout his childhood roaming the ravines and hills of Burlington. As a teenager, his explorations broadened to include his beloved Mississippi River. Later as a young adult, he was able to indulge his love of the river full-time working as a grain inspector on barges. As the St. Louis-born author TS Elliot wrote, "There is something in having passed one's childhood beside the big river which is incommunicable to those who have not." Whatever his interests were, Lee pursued them with a passion - drawing, and painting, handcrafting a johnboat and canoe, keeping bees, adventuring in Alaska.

in his late twenties, Lee moved to south Georgia for more new adventures. He graduated from the University of Georgia's Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and spent the rest of his career working for the college. Most of his years were in the forestry department, but for the last few he was drafted to manage the college's hog operation of the animal science department. He enjoyed the new challenge and considered it an appropriate job for an "Iowa boy".

Lee took great pleasure in living out his life on a portion of the farm that has been in the Hodges family since the mid-1800s where he could enjoy nature every day and observe the wildlife. He possessed great compassion for animals and faithfully cared for his own menagerie including an elderly horse, two donkeys, James and John, and cats.

Lee loved good conversation. He possessed a wide-ranging knowledge on a multitude of subjects. As a boy he regularly perused the encyclopedia and later enjoyed listening to NPR and BBC radio. Lee was always ready with a story usually punctuated their wisdom. One he identified with near the end of his lif was Civil War General Thomas"Stonewall" Jackson's final words: "Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.:

Lee is at rest.