Juan Constanchio Edwards Hodges, daughter of Annie Mary and Day Edwards, crossed over on March 20, 2021 after a long and fulfilled life. A celebration of life service will be held at Memorial Funeral Chapel, Bryan, Texas at 2 pm on April 6, 2021 with visitation at 1 pm at the same location.
Juan was born July 30, 1924 in Sweetwater, Texas and fondly remembered swimming in the tanks at her Aunt Bess’s farm. Her dad was with the Santa Fe Railroad, so she spent many days around trains and always loved them. Her dad was transferred to Somerville, Texas, where Juan grew up and graduated from Somerville High School in 1941. She was the first drum majorette, duchesse of the senior class, and on the tennis team. She then attended Southwestern Business College in Houston, where she became an extraordinary administrative assistant and began her career. She was a proficient typist, took shorthand, and used the Dictaphone. She typed many a thesis for an Aggie graduating from Texas A&M, before the age of computers!
She met and married Charles Hodges in 1946 in Bryan, Texas and traveled around Texas with his career for several years. They then settled in Bryan with family and had daughter, Robin. After divorcing in 1960, Juan moved to College Station and continued to be a very independent and strong woman. Juan’s career of over 34 years at Texas A&M Petroleum Research Committee led to her retirement in 1986. She then pursued other interests in arts and crafts, resale shop collectibles and her passion for poetry.
She also loved gardening, searching for shells at the seashore, and had many a good day of fishing on the river or at the coast with family. Juan was an avid Aggie Football fan, always watching the games. She befriended many Aggie students over the years with bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwiches, spaghetti dinners, or just as a local mom.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Annie Mary Edwards Standard and Day Edwards; her brother, Granville Edwards; and her former husband Charles Hodges Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Robin Hodges Starnes and her husband Robert Starnes; her grandson, John Starnes and his wife Kim Starnes; her great-grandson Ben Starnes; nephews Mike Edwards and Pat Edwards; and niece Marybeth Horn.
She treasured her friendship with caregivers Megan Harrison and Brenda Etheridge. Special thank you from the family to Traditions Hospice nurse, Tara Lancaster.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mothers’ Milk Bank, Austin, Texas or Aggieland Humane Society, Bryan, Texas.
