Ethel D. Hodges

Ethel Dickson Hodges, 91, passed away on December 18, 2013. She was born on June 14, 1922 in Collingdale, Pennsylvania the daughter of Thomas John and Anna Miriam (Pearce) Dickson. While attending high school, Ethel enjoyed being a member of the school’s field hockey team and played the position of goalie. She graduated from Collingdale High School in 1940. Ethel later graduated from the Pierce School of Business and was a secretary for a number of years. Ethel met her future husband Bill in the choir at the First Baptist Church in Collingdale, Pennsylvania where Bill was a bass soloist. She married the love of her life on May 11, 1946. The couple raised their daughter Miriam and their son William in suburban Philadelphia, Boston and Atlanta. Ethel loved being a wife and mother.

Ethel was active in various church organizations. She taught seventh grade girls in Sunday school for several years. Throughout her life Ethel enjoyed planting flowers and having a vegetable garden. She was also active in various garden clubs. Ethel assisted children as a volunteer tutor at an elementary school. She also served briefly as a middle school lunchroom worker. Throughout much of the later part of her life Ethel walked daily to visit neighbors and their pets. When neighbors were vacationing she collected their mail and took care of their pets. Ethel especially loved cats and cats loved her. After Ethel’s own children were grown up, she treasured working as a nanny for a nearby Atlanta family for about six years. Ethel also enjoyed serving as a Red Cross volunteer from 1972 until 2005. She was loved by both patients and staff for her hard work, cheerful disposition, and smiling face.

Ethel, you spent your life compassionately caring for others. All of us will miss you and you will live in our hearts always.

She is survived by her son William R. Hodges, daughter Miriam H. Adcock (husband Phillip), and six nieces. She is predeceased by her husband William “Bill” Hodges and her brother Robert “Bob” Dickson.

A memorial service celebrating Ethel’s life will be held at the Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home in Kennesaw, GA on Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 3:00 PM. Visitation will precede the service from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Messages can be sent to the family by going to the Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home website at www.winkenhoferpineridgefuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Ethel may be given to American Red Cross, 2025 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, (1-800-733-2767) [www.redcross.org], or to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 424 E. 92nd St., New York, NY 10128, (1-800-628-0028) [www.aspca.org], or to American Diabetes Association, 1701 North Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311, (1-800-342-2383) [www.diabetes.org].