Florence Sanders Sanders Hodges

Ms. Florence Mitchell Sanders Hodges, age 91, passed away peacefully at home on December 22, 2010. Florence was born in Charlotte on October 23, 1919. She and her late husband, Eugene W. “Buck” Hodges Jr., ran a Holstein dairy and later raised Charolais beef cattle on their farm on Rocky River Road in the Newell community. Florence taught at Newell School in the 1940s and later, after her children were grown, taught science and physics at Cochrane Junior High School in the 1960s. Florence was preceded in death by her sisters, DeLane and Catherine, and her brother Jeff.

Florence is survived by her five children: daughter Sandra Llewellyn, daughter Betty Lloyd and husband Arthur, son Gene and wife Kay, and son Ed and wife Cathy, all of Charlotte and daughter Patt Crissman and husband Paul of Raleigh. She is also survived by eleven loving grandchildren: Sidney Llewellyn, Jessica Llewellyn, Sheri Lloyd Gibbins, Buck Hodges, Jason Hodges, David Clontz, Brantlee Clontz Drake, Laura Crissman Kvernen, Stephen Crissman, Diane Hodges and Melissa Hodges; and six great grandchildren: Samuel and Emily Hodges, Garrett Gibbins, and Julianna, Lydia, and Isaac Kvernen.

Florence had a life long love of education and learning. She was a loving, kind, and caring mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She also always had a sweet smile for everyone she knew. She will always hold a special place in our hearts.

A service to celebrate the life of Florence Hodges will be held at Back Creek ARP Church, 1821 Back Creek Church Road, at 3:30 pm on Sunday, December 26, 2010. The family will receive family and friends beginning at 2:00 pm at the church. Florence will be laid to rest next to her husband Buck in the Hodges family plot in the Back Creek ARP Church cemetery.

Special thanks to Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte; to mother’s Hospice nurse, Amy Sloop; and to her caregivers Lynn Sesay and Lucy Brown of “With Love and Care”.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Back Creek Christian Academy, 1821 Back Creek Church Road, Charlotte, NC 28213 or Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte, 1420 E. Seventh Street, Charlotte, NC 28204.

Arrangements are by McEwen Funeral Services, Derita Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.mcewenderitachapel.com.