JOE HODGES - Joseph H. "Joe" Hodges, age 67, of Columbus, MS, died December 15, 2009, at his residence. Funeral services will be Friday, December 18, 2009, at 11:00 AM at First United Methodist Church with Dr. Sam Morris, Rev. B. F. Lee, Dr. Roy McAilly, and Rev. Glyn Wiygul officiating. The interment will follow on Friday at 2:30 PM at Lee Memorial Park in Verona, MS with military honors. Visitation will be Thursday, December 17, 2009, from 6:00-8:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home and Friday one hour prior to the service at the church. Mr. Hodges was born November 28, 1942, in Tupelo, MS, to the late Tyson and Evie Riley Hodges. He was a graduate of Tupelo High School in 1960 and was a graduate of Mississippi State University where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and Pi Sigma Epsilon marketing fraternity. Mr. Hodges served in the U. S. Army as a fixed - wing pilot serving one tour in Vietnam where he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, the Vietnmanese Cross of Gallantry, and he was a member of the VFW. He worked for Woodman of the World for 2 years then began his 36 year career with State Farm Insurance in Kosciusko and Columbus. He served as local, mid-state, and state president of NAFA - National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and also served on the Advisory Board of the Peter K. Lutken Chair of Insurance of Mississippi State University for over 15 years. Mr. Hodges was honored with the Joe Hodges - State Farm Endowed Scholarship from the Mississippi State University Foundation. He was a longtime member of the Magnolia Kiwanis Club and served as member and former chairman of the Columbus Civil Service Commission. Mr. Hodges was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served as chairman of the Staff Parrish Relations Committee, chairman of the Finance Committee, chairman of the Council of Ministries, and was a member of the Usher Committee. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Barbara Hodges of Columbus, daughter, Allison Hodges Horner (Jack) of Mobile, AL, son, Paul Hodges (Cyndi) of Birmingham, AL, sister, Linda Hodges Jamieson (David) of Fairhope, AL, grandchildren, Barbara, Mary, and Sarah Horner, and Miriam Hodges, and a large, loving extended family. Pallbearers will be Gary Eldridge, Dwain Acker, Danny Dilworth, Al Hatcher, and Dan Sisson. Honorary pallbearers will be all former agents of the Joe Hodges district - AFD, agency manager/AFE mid-south region and Southern Zone, members of the Holiday Inn Coffee Club (Think Tank), members of the Larry Brooks Super Bulldog Club, and members of the Spring and Fall Seminar Methodist Ministers Group. Memorials may be made to the National Brain Tumor Society East Coast Office 124 Watertown St. Suite 2D Watertown, MA 02472 or Mississippi State University Foundation Joe Hodges - State Farm Endowed Scholarship Mississippi State, MS 39762.
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