Kathleen A Hodge

Kathleen Ann Hodge of Palm City, Florida died peacefully at Tapestry Senior Living, in Tallahassee, surrounded by loved ones on June 27, 2018. She was 85 years old. The daughter of the late Francis Michael Sheedy and Dorothy Madeleine (Regan) Sheedy, both of Brooklyn, NY, Kathleen was born October 24, 1932 in Brooklyn.

She worked for the New York Telephone Company in Brooklyn as a young woman. She lived in Boonton, NJ from 1964 until 1977, where she was active in local politics and fundraising for both Riverside and St. Clare's Hospitals. During this time, she opened two fashion shops: Kathy's on Main Street in Boonton, and a branch of the same in Lake Mohawk, NJ. In 1977 she moved to Stuart, FL and there she both worked and volunteered in many capacities. She was Food and Beverage Director at Indian River Plantation from 1977 until 1986; she opened Kathy Wootton Interiors in 1986 with Stuart and Martin Downs locations and continued to decorate and consult until she retired in 2013. She was Executive Director of Ocean Palms Assisted Living in Stuart from 1991 to 1993; she served as General Manager of the Ambassador Club in Stuart, from 1993 until 1995; and Director of Special Projects for the Martin Memorial Foundation in Stuart from 1995 to 1996. She continued to work until she was in her 80's as a decorating and marketing consultant.

At the same time that she worked to support her family, she brought new ideas to the fundraising community in the Stuart area and in Palm Beach. Kathy introduced an Annual Auction to the St. Michael's School. She was the founder and chairperson of "The Easter House", using her connections from her interior decorating business and her charm, she enrolled the Treasure Coast Builders Association to build homes that were raffled off on land, also donated, in Palm City, FL. This project raised 1 million dollars for the YMCA. Kathy turned her attention to Martin County Hospice, a cause she believed in greatly. She served the hospice organization in a number of volunteer roles, Chairman of the Board, Foundation Board Chairman and Board Development Committee Chairman. She was instrumental in the merger of the Ft. Pierce and Martin County Hospices to become Hospice of the Treasure Coast. She participated in raising millions, with other devoted donors and volunteers, for the expanded organization. Kathy chaired the Annual Martin County Red Cross Ball served as the Chair of the organization's fund-raising committee. While she was Director of Special Projects at the Martin Memorial Foundation she created and managed the first Chrysanthemum Ball, a community event that has raised 16 million dollars for special hospital projects and championed now by others, continues to this day.

Kathy served on the board of directors of the Governor's Club in Palm Beach. Here she continued fundraising for charitable local organizations in a series of luncheons both at the Governor's Club and The Palm Beach Yacht Club, featuring speakers such as Dr. Oz and Dr. Perricone. She served on the Martin County Eldercare Committee and was a member of the National Society of Fundraisers. The Kathleen Hodge Scholarship is awarded annually at Florida State University to a deserving student that was raised by a single parent.

All of her accomplishments aside, what was most important to Kathy was her children and her grandchildren and a large network of valued friends. She loved to entertain, to be entertained and to spoil those she loved. She is predeceased by her father and mother, and by sister Dorothy Sheedy Carhuff. She is predeceased by her late husbands, Robert Krawiec and Luther Hubert Hodge and her good friend, Debbie Mahood. She was married to Jack Wootton of Boonton, NJ who survives her. She is survived by her brothers Dennis Sheedy of Houston, TX, Frank Sheedy, of Franklin Square, NY and sister Joan Sheedy McMahon, of New Smyrna Beach, FL; her children Alison Krawiec Faubert and son-in-law, Shane Faubert of Montvale, NJ; Janet Krawiec Grant and son-in-law former Congressman, the Honorable Bill Grant, of Tallahassee; Karen Krawiec Gordon and son-in-law Antony Gordon, of Stuart; FL; and son Daniel Grant and daughter-in-law, Jamie Grant of Tallahassee; and eight grandchildren, Rita Gordon, Madison Grant, Kinsey Grant, Juliette Faubert, Ben Gordon, Madeleine Faubert, Kyleigh Grant and Grayton Grant; nieces and nephews; and her good friends, Charles Contessa, of Palm Beach, Trina Draper of Tallahassee, Ohara Mackey and Gregory Scott of Stuart, Jim Slack of Tallahassee and many treasured friends.

She will be cremated and entombed at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Palm City, Fl. There will be a private service for the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee (https://www.bigbendhospice.org)