Mr. Herbert Hodges, age 72, of Oconee, died on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at his residence. Graveside funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, January 15 at the Antioch Christian Church Cemetery in Oconee. Reverend Tom Howard and Mr. Mike Sheppard will officiate. Pallbearers will be Gene Sheppard, Clay Brantley, Thomas Harris, Andy Jones, Joel Cochran, and William Sheppard.
Mr. Hodges was a native of Washington County, the son of the late Donald H. Hodges, Sr., and the late Rebecca Smith Hodges. He graduated from the Washington County High School and from South Georgia Technical School, where he received a diploma in diesel mechanics. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee from 1969 to 1971. One of his favorite stories to tell was his surviving Hurricane Camille, which destroyed the home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabee Center in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1969.
After returning home to Washington County, he began working at Thiele Kaolin Company, where he retired as the Mine Superintendent of the Avant Mine after a 31-year career. He also co-owned Hodges General Store in Oconee. After retiring from Thiele, he opened Herbert Hodges Shop, LLC. where he provided diesel mechanic and welding and fabrication services. He was an active member of Antioch Christian Church, where he served as a deacon and on the church board. For many years, he and his wife loved to entertain at their home, treating friends and family to his ‘special hot chicken.’ He especially loved hosting the extended Hodges family for their annual Thanksgiving Day reunion. He and his wife hosted this gathering for over twenty years and enjoyed seeing over one hundred family members. Later, he enjoyed spending time with family at his vacation home on St. Simons Island, where a sandwich is named after him at his favorite restaurant, the Sandcastle Café and Grille. Mr. Hodges was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Martina Jones Hodges.
Survivors include: his children, Chris Hodges and his wife Alecia of Oconee, Grace Hodges Moore and her husband Roger of Greensboro; grandchildren, Hannah and Cole Hodges of Oconee, Wilson, Lawson, and Elizabeth Moore of Greensboro; sisters, Donna Pope of Atlanta and Sherri Harris of Deepstep; and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the special caretakers who treated Mr. Hodges as their own family and continued to make his house feel like a home during his illness.
Donations may be made to Antioch Christian Church, P.O. Box 40, Oconee, Georgia 31067.
May and Smith Funeral Directors in Sandersville is in charge of the arrangements.