Patricia Hodges

Patricia Maxine Heuschober Hodges passed away suddenly Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, at Delta South Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Sikeston, Missouri. She was 92 years old.

Patricia was born May 4, 1927, in Cape Girardeau to William and Celius Marie Brown Heuschober. She was the youngest of eight, including Elton "Bus," Gladys "Sis" and Bill Lehne, Howard, William "Bill" and Maxine Heuschober, Erma and Clarence McLard, Edna Mae and Virgil Cotner, and Virginia "Jen" and Ken Johnson.

In May 1947, she was united in marriage to James Samuel Hodges Jr. at Maple Avenue Methodist Church, Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death March 4, 2017.

Pat graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School and had been employed by F.W. Woolworth and Co. on Main Street in Cape Girardeau. She also graduated from a one-year secretarial program at Cape Girardeau Business College. Following her marriage, she became a career housewife and mother. Pat and Jim lived in Cairo, Illinois (twice); Clinton, Kentucky; Du Quoin, Illinois; Cape Girardeau; and the last 57 years in East Prairie, Missouri.

Her nondomestic work was concentrated around her membership in Nelson Memorial United Methodist Church and the East Prairie community. She was a diligent worker in the Sunday school program, vacation Bible school, Holy Communion, and sang in the church. Faithful in her church attendance, she was the eldest member of the local Methodist Church at the time of her passing. For a number of years, Pat volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels, worked as an election judge, was a multiple blood donor to the American Red Cross and assisted with the Girl Scouts program.

Pat's hobbies included bowling, which she did for most of her life, into her 80s. She enjoyed being outside, working in her yard, as well as playing outdoor games with her kids and grandkids. When she got her driver's license in the late 1960s, she enjoyed driving to Sikeston and Cape Girardeau to visit with Jim's and her family members.

Survivors include two sons, Steve (Amy) Hodges of East Prairie and Gary (Deb) Hodges of Grand Junction, Colorado; and one daughter, Cynthia (Rick) Nowell of New Madrid, Missouri. She had four grandsons, James Hodges of New Madrid, Andrew (Natalka) Hodges of Akron, Ohio, Adam Hodges of Branson, Missouri, and David Wayne Prince of Cape Girardeau. Also, two great-grandsons, William Patrick Hodges and Samuel Peyton Hodges of New Madrid; and four step-grandchildren, Joshua Nowell, Allison Nowell (David) Courtois, Madeline Nowell (Zach) Bell and Meredith Nowell (Sam) Wilson.

Under the direction of Ford and Sons Funeral Home, services will be held Sunday at the Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum. Public visitation will be held from 3 to 4 p.m., with the service beginning at 4 p.m. Gary Hodges will officiate, with assistance from the Rev. Brian Abbott. Entombment will take place on site.

Online condolences can be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions can be made to Nelson Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O Box 292, East Prairie, MO 63845.