Monica Bennie Hodges died on December 17, 2013 at the Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City after a blessedly brief battle with lung cancer. Born in the village of Lemont Furnace, PA on June 15, 1944 to Peter and Kathryn (Stefko) Bennie, Monica grew up with her three sisters and two brothers in the small mountain community near Uniontown. As she grew older, Monica saw little opportunity in her one-industry, coal mining surrounds and left the day after graduating high school in 1962 to become a secretary at the Pentagon outside Washington D.C. It was there that she met a dashing Air Force officer and World War II, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam veteran, Col. Charles (Charlie) B. Hodges, Jr. The two married on April 16, 1966 and had two children, Charles IV and Yvonne. The young military family spent the next several years living in Virginia, Florida, and Norway before moving to Oklahoma City in 1972 when Charlie became Base Commander at Tinker AFB. Monica loved getting out of the snow and living in the warm climate of Oklahoma and spent the rest of her life growing the tastiest tomatoes and other delectable vegetables in her garden overlooking the beautiful greenbelt and lake behind her house. She was also a fabulous cook, and the entire family will certainly miss her amazing chicken noodle soup that was always the best remedy for a pesky winter cold. A devoted Catholic, Monica regularly attended both St. Charles of Borromeo and the Church of the Epiphany of the Lord Catholic churches. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Kathy, beloved husband, Charlie, sister and great friend, Charlotte Serratta, and step-daughter and favorite companion, Charlynn Hodges. She is survived by the greatest joys of her life, her children Chuck Hodges and Vonne Hodges Hanke; son-in-law Eric Hanke; daughter-in-law Lynne Rostochil; and five greatly treasured grandchildren, Jack and Will Hodges and Savannah, Garrett, and Sara Hanke, who loved nothing better than spending the night at Gawg’s and amazing at her incredibly bad luck at all games. In addition, Monica is survived by two of her sisters, Kathy Bennie and Teresa Vojeck and two brothers, Peter Bennie Jr., and Charles Bennie, all of Lemont Furnace, PA., several nieces and nephews, and many wonderful friends and neighbors. Monica’s family would like to thank the doctors and health care providers who so compassionately cared for her during her short illness, especially those at Integris Hospice House who made her last days comfortable and painless. To use one of her favorite sayings, it’s a real kick in the head that she’s gone, but Gawg will always live on in the many happy memories of her children, grandchildren, and friends and family. Funeral Services will be 10 a.m., Saturday, December 21, 2013 at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper with Interment to follow at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery.
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