Joan Elizabeth Crawford Hodge, loving mother and grandmother, passed away in Lansing on April 7, 2021, at the age of 92. She was born to Harold and Vera Crawford on Nov. 10, 1928, in Lansing, Mich. and graduated from Sexton High School. She was one of two daughters and was very close to her sister, Mary Crawford (Dick) Masters. She was married for 32 years to Timothy Hodge and was the loving mother of five children, Stephen Harold, Suzanne Marie, Judy Beth, Christina Ann and Mary Joan Hodge (John) Wardell.
She was preceded in death by three of her children – Stephen, 9 months, Judy, 2, and Christina, 23. Their lives were taken by Cystic Fibrosis, which also took the lives of two of her nieces, Karen and Kathy. She was also preceded in death by her parents, husband and sister. She is survived by two children, Suzanne and Mary Jo, along with 15 grandchildren, Christina (Paul) Wheatley, Aaron Wardell, John (Sonya) Wardell, Mary Wardell, Emily Wardell, Stephen Wardell, Uriah Wardell, Lillian Wardell, Katelin Wardell, Annalisa Wardell, Julian Wardell, Levi Wardell, Marissa (Corey) Owen, Lucy (Jason) Clifford and Hilde (Kurt) Routzahn; nine great-grandchildren, Lana, Finn and Lucas Wheatley, Desmond and Simon Wardell, Nora Owen, Charlie and Sam Clifford, and Haylie and Kimberly Routzahn; and one great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Dick Masters and three nephews, Rick (Sandy), Greg (Mary) and Gary (Jill) Masters.
Joan – like her father, a professional singer – had a lifelong love of music, and she played the cello and piano. She lived a full life and travelled extensively with Tim around the world. She went back to school at the age of 40 to finish her degree and become a registered nurse, working at Lansing General Hospital, before starting her own business in administration for insurance physicals. Joan died with her family by her side, for which they are endlessly and profoundly grateful.
A Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, at Grand Woods Park Pavilion in Lansing. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Joan’s name to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
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