Robert A. Hodge

Dear Jinnifer, It was great having Butch as a friend. My prayer is that God will comfort you during this period. Jesus Christ can comfort you forever when you put your trust in Him. With love always, Carroll and Jan Stokes

Jennifer, I worked for your father for many years at the Patton Avenue Kmart. I was truely sadden to hear about his passing. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May God be with you all during this difficult time. Love, Tammy D

Jennifer, and Elizabeth, I can’t tell you how sorry I am to hear of Mr Hodges passing…and how totally shocked we all are! I worked for and with your dad for 12 years, and loved him very dearly. There was a side to him, that few really saw, but I am priviledged to be among the few that did. I just want you to know that he was extremely special to me, and my family. My daughter was in 2nd grade when she first met him, and he was a father figure to her all her life. She is saddened beyond belief today, as we all are. Just know that you are in our thoughts and prayers…and Mr Hodge will live on in our hearts forever.

Jennifer, I am so sorry. I couldn’t believe it when mom called me today to tell me what happened. It still feels unreal. I don’t really know what to say. I just can’t believe that it happened. Just remember that you will always be a sister to me and if you need anything I’ll be there. You and your family are in my prayers. I love u.

May you always remember all of the great memories. He will be with you. Elizabeth will hear many memorable stories. love Bob, Wendy and Breanna

Uncle Butch is the reason that I have spent my life collecting antiques. I’ll always remember going to my first Estate Auction with him in Georgia and getting my first antique. Everytime somebody asks me how I got into antiques I always say it was because of Butch. I’m sorry I can’t make it, but want to let you know how sorry I am for the loss and how much I thought of him.

I am thinking of you and your family during this very difficult time. You are in my thoughts and my prayers. You will never be forgotten. In deepest sympathy, Tanya

Jennifer and Elizabeth,I am so terribly saddened to hear of your fathers passing.Your Dad was a very special man and will be missed greatly.I worked with your father for 9 years at Kmart,in that time he lended an ear to me when sometimes noone else would,taught me about business and about life.I want you to know that he loved you and Elizabeth deeply and often spoke of you.Your Dad will be missed by Myself and my famliy,he touched alot of peoples lives.He was a good man and we Loved him.

Jennifer and Family, I am so shocked and saddened to hear about Mr. Hodge, he was a father figure to me from the first day we started talking. I worked at Kmart for two years with him and there is no one that has touched my heart and gave me so much encouragement. You are very lucky to be able to say that Mr. Hodge is your father. He will always be loved and I will never forget him or his father figure ways. Be strong and know we are all here for you. The Kmart family loves him forever…
My papa will never be forgotten.
Love
Amy Mullen

Jennifer and Elizabeth,
Jennifer you and I have known each other for fourteen years and have been friends. I am fortunate to have your friendship. I am blessed to have known Mr.Hodge and thankful for the special friendship that we built, he was one of my dearest and best friends. You and Elizabeth was so special to him, he loved you both very much. I love you and Elizabeth you are in my prayers.
Love,
Lisa Fowler

Dear Jennifer and Marsha,
I am still in unbelief and denial about this. Through our 30 year friendship, we got to know each other very well. Jennifer, when you lived in Springdale, Arkansas back in the early 70’s, you were about 2 or 3. You were very sweet and shy. Your dad and I played very strange tricks on each other. I once put an ad in the paper advertising free poodle puppies. They were to be available only at 5:30 AM on a certain Saturday Morning. ( when he was off ) When I went to work at 7:30 the cars were still lined up to get there, and there were dozens of people in the yard. To retaliate, he advertised a garage sale at my house with tons of free children’s clothes. We heard voices in our yard about 5:00 A.M. We were startled to find around 3 to 4 dozen dozen people waiting for the free stuff. They got mad at me when I told them that there was a mistake. Then I called in an order for 10 large pizza’s to your house… and on and on it went until we declared a truce. Another time, I had the idea to prank one of our assistant managers at K mart in Fayetteville. Mark Cohen was expecting his ‘ store ‘ any day. Butch and I hid upstairs in one of the security windows and had a clerk call and ask for ‘ Mr. Cohen. She told him that Mr. Kobbs office was calling, ( the man that would transfer him ) and to hold the line. We watched him sucking on his mustache for almost two hours, while he was on HOLD. We were laughing so hard we were crying. One of us wet our pants. One of the best tricks that we played on Butch was the one on his boat. It had been in the shop for several months. They could not find the parts to fix it. One beautiful spring day, we had someone call him at the store. We told him that the boat was ready. The repair place was 50 miles away. As soon as we hung up, we saw him putting on his ‘buckskin ‘ coat with tassles. As he was going down the isle, he said… ‘ Well… they got my boat ready.’ We all waived and waited until he left the store to begin the celebration. He went to Prarie Creek Marina and told him that he was there to pick up his boat. Can you imagine his surprise ? He was so mad, he came back to the store 4 hours later to lie to us that he had picked up his boat, and that it ran really great. He put paper over the windows of his garage so that we couldn’t see that he didn’t have it. I could tell you story after story.
Butch and I remained close friends for life,even though the miles seperated us. The good times, the bad times, the low times, the high times. We would spend hours on the phone. If I wasn’t counseling him, he was counseling me. We would laugh, and cry and he would always tell me what a valuable friend I was to him. ( and visa versa ) The week before he died, he called me. He was so excited about going to his class reunion and seeing all of his former high school class mates, and how much fun he had. He also said he went to a large parade with a lot of corvettes in it, and swore that he was going back next year to be in the parade with his sister. I had begged him to come see me for years. Only a few weeks ago, he told me to clear my calendar for a few days, next month that he was finally coming to see me. He had begun to get out, and see people and he loved it. He loved you so much. He loved his grandbaby and couldn’t wait to spend more time with her. He was finally glad to be retired, and wanted to really enjoy the next several years. This is why it caught me, and you, and so many others, so off guard. I have grieved for weeks. The best comfort I can give you is that he was a friend, and loved by many. We spoke around every two weeks and had discussed many close details of our lives and challenges that we were going through and facing. Butch was so special. I loved him as I would my brother, and we considered ourselves just that. I’ll miss our frequent conversations and lectures that we would give each other. He had developed a new ‘ zest’ for life. He was excited for his daughter, grand daughter, renewing family ties and personal friendships, antiques, and his beloved corvette. I will miss him so bad. Be assured that there are others that share your grief. Very deeply. My deepest regards to you and Marsha and your families. God knows I’ll miss him so bad.

Ken Proctor
Wynne, AR 72396

Jennifer, Tim and Marsha,
So sorry to hear about Butch. You all were such good neighbors and friends. We think of you often and remember the times we all had on Timothy Lane. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Hope to visit sometime soon.

Jennifer and Family
I am one of your Dad’s cousin’s from Michigan. We are so sorry to hear of his passing. We send our deepest sympathy to you and your family. May your memories give you comfort and strength. Know your Dad will always be in your heart. Our prayers are with you.
Rosie & Bernie Miscuk

To My brother. I love and miss you. Love Yola.

Jennifer, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I will always think of you and your dad fondly. Love, Robin

Dear Jennifer and family, I’m very sorry to hear of the loss of your Dad. I worked with him for several years at K-Mart, and I remember watching you grow up. You and are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Paulette Taylor Buchanan

Jennifer and Family, I’m very sorry for your loss and you are in my prayers. I knew your dad threw work and became close with him. I will miss him very much.

So sorry to hear about the death of Robert Hodge. I was a friend of ‘Butch’ many years ago in Fort Worth, Texas. I will always remember him as being young, happy and very cute with a great smile.

Carole Carden
Del Mar, Ca

Jennifer, Yola & Family,
I am so very sorry for your terrible loss. May the memories and joy that you shared with him help heal the ache that you feel in your heart. He will always be part of you. Love, Elaine
(a cousin)

I still miss you…

Jennifer and Family, You are in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry for the loss of your father; your friend. May God give you strength for the coming days. With love and Concern Sheila Franklin

Jennifer, Yola and families, I am so sorry for your loss but I pray that the God of all hope will comfort you and bring you peace, knowing that Butch is in His hands and we will see him again. That is the promise of God. Trust in the Lord and draw close to him.
He is greatly missed and greatly loved. We are praying for you.
Love, Aunt Yola and Marilyn

Jennifer & Family:

We are sorry to hear of your loss. Our prayers go with you, your family and with Butch.

From cousins in Detroit.