***From her son, Mark, with a few additions from his sisters, Teresa and Karla. - Part 2

Our mother, Melina, grew up in the rural town of Bosque, NM, just south of Albuquerque. After her father, mother and siblings Jack and Margie moved to California, her older brother Ralph raised her and her sister, Lucille, in their home state. 
She was a determined and ambitious young woman. She had a dream of going to college, to which her oldest brother would laugh even at the thought of. But, in typical Melina fashion, she forged ahead and went anyway. She was the first and maybe only one in her family to go to college. She received a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from New Mexico State University and worked in the campus library where she met the blonde-haired, blue-eyed John Hodge. 
Upon graduation, she taught Home Economics in Mountainair, NM for a short time before marrying the love of her life, John.
Fast forward many years and 3 kids later…Our dad would always say that we would have never survived without mom’s home economics knowledge. To simply put it, she did it all – she was caring (she would even hold me when I was car sick); she had a remedy for just about everything; she was thrifty (she never bought anything unless it was on sale); she sewed costumes and outfits; she cooked; and made our lunches every single day. In the early years, our dad would say that he ate a lot of tomato soup while trying to make ends meet for our family of 5. Then at one point, we were a family of 7 after our cousins, Cindy and Shaun, moved in. She was dedicated, selfless, strong, passionate, encouraging and made many sacrifices to provide for all of us. 


*** From Mark, Teresa, Karla - Part 4
As I was growing up in my elementary years, we used to play outside all the time. We rode bikes, played in the creek at the nearby park, played tackle football in different people’s yards. When it was dinner time, the whole neighborhood would know it since she used a whistle to call me home! She had a drawer full of whistles. (In her later years, she denied this ever occurring, but it is etched in my memory forever). If she didn’t have the whistles that day, she would just yell, and we could hear her voice a street or two over! I do have one regret though, while she was at my soccer games, she would yell from the stands and of course EVERYONE could hear her. Remember what I just said about singing in church - I asked her one time to not yell during my games…well, she stayed quiet for a game or two and then stopped coming. Soccer had been such a big part of my life that I missed not having her there with me on that journey. 
It was very important to her that we had a good work ethic in us, so we would grow up to be independent - we each had regular and rotating chores around the house for which we got an allowance. She helped us open bank accounts and manage what little we made. She encouraged us to work while in high school. And she also taught us many basics, like sewing (for Karla) and cooking skills so we wouldn’t starve when we went out into the world. In fact, I still make a mean grill cheese with tomato to this day for my boys! 


*** From Mark, Teresa, Karla - Part 5
I don’t see how any of us will ever forget our mother’s laughter. It was joyous and infectious. I remember when our parents would host “Bridge Night” every so often, and we could always hear her loud laughter over all the noise in the house. Then if she and her sister, Lucille, ever got together, the laughter was so loud that my dad had to stay outside for a while they lived it up. 
Speaking of her family, we had the privilege to take family trips to California and New Mexico, to be with mom’s family and we are so grateful to have gotten to know them, and especially our Grandma G. 
Later in life when travelling the world, whatever country she was in, she always seemed to look like one of the native citizens, and people would stop and ask her if she was a local – this happened in Turkey and Iran, then one time in Egypt a man offered my dad two camels in trade for her! Obviously, he declined. Her travels spanned the world, and she brought that culture home to us, our kids and grandkids. 
As an adult I cherished the times we spent with her and my father, especially all of the trips they made to Arizona during Christmas time to spend time with our kids. That time and those memories will forever be engrained into our lives. 
Our mother was a woman of many talents; she was a trail blazer – she went to college, graduated, taught, managed a family, and became a world traveler! What a truly remarkable woman she was! She was no doubt the heart and soul of the family. We love you, Mom! 


*** From Amanda - Part 1
When thinking about what to write for this Mass, I was at a loss for words (unheard of for me, I know). How could I wrap all of my experiences with Grandma into one short speech? A friend suggested I think about what I would want the world to know about her…This prompt stuck with me and hit a heart chord. Grandma would never have wanted the world to know much about her, but Grandma was a rather remarkable woman. 
1) I want the world to know Grandma was tough. I think she would sour at that word and say she was ‘disciplined’, but I believe tough truly fits her, and I don’t think anyone would argue with that. She was strict, teaching me how to ‘be a lady’ and dealt with me when I rebelled. She focused on my schoolwork and grades and always encouraged museum trips. She often wrote in my birthday cards to remember to focus on studies and not on boys. She made me memorize answers from Jeopardy and practice my instruments even when I had no desire to. 


*** From Amanda - Part 2
2) I want the world to know Grandma was devoted deeply to her faith as was just mentioned. Grandma would force me to go to Mass with her and write letters or draw pictures for the nuns. She consistently tithed and when she couldn’t continue traveling to Mass, she would watch it on the tv. She was one of the first people to introduce the Bible to me, explain what the cross was, and encouraged me to pray. 
3) The final and most important thing I want the world to know was Grandma had a heart of pure love. When I think of Grandma, I will always think of the good memories we have. I will remember her jumping over the couch---feet fully off the ground—to catch me during a game of chase. I will remember her taking me to feed the ducks at the pond by their house. I’ll remember Grandma teaching me to make Spanish rice and us sitting right next to each other on the couch, elbowing each other in the side and laughing at my antics. I’ll remember her finding me sleeping on the floor at the foot of her bed as a kid when I had a nightmare, and her letting me sleep with her. I’ll remember her staring at her pictures of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, smiling while she told me how magical New Mexico was. I’ll remember her infectious laugh, especially when I told a particularly witty joke or showed how I accidentally locked myself in the bathroom. And most of all, I’ll remember the pride in her voice when I would come over for brunch and she would introduce me as her Grandchild. 
I hate that we are all here, together for this reason. But what makes me happy is knowing that we are all here to celebrate the wonderfully, complicated, dedicated, witty, smart woman that Grandma was and will continue to be forever through all of us. 


***Amy 
Most of us grandchildren have similar memories and experiences with this incredible woman, however, each unique in our own way. Carl recently told me a story about when he was learning to speak Spanish, he told grandma that he would call her and speak Spanish to her (she claimed to not remember any) – well, her response to that was “I’ll hang up on you!” Come to find out it was not uncommon for grandma to hang up on people she didn’t recognize. Then we can’t forget that one time Carl had to lift grandma into his SUV because it was too tall for her. She had tried to crawl in on the floorboard, but that didn’t work out too well. Sorry, Grandma, I couldn’t leave that one out. 
For me, to this day, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival is still a bucket list item, and I will think about her every time I see a hot air balloon in the sky; every time I see a pond with ducks in a neighborhood, I will think of her and our walks to feed them; whatever city I am in, I will always stop at the gift shop to look at the souvenir spoons; I will never put Tide detergent in a bath – apparently, I was that dirty that one time; and I will smile every time I look at sunflowers. 
To simply put it, our grandma was a beautiful soul and a brilliant mind. She loved hard and lived boldly. Melina/Mom/Grandma, we love you.


Melina is my older sister.  I say "is" because I will always think of her that way.... as she IS... as she LIVES.  And she does live, in eternity. 
Melina was so generous with others, most of all with our mom and dad.   And John (Melina's husband)????  There was nothing John would not do, or advise he would not give if asked.  What a sweet and intelligent man.    They complemented one another well and raised their family of three in a way that would please God.        I had the good fortune to renew my relationship with my sister in her later years, as two adult women sharing memories of a family that was greatly diminished over time by death.    I enjoyed our conversations and I cherish them.   I am sad for the hole her absence has left in her children and grandchildren's lives and hearts but through experience I DO know that time and reflection and God's Will has a way of lessening the pain and leaving us with the simple joy of having had Melina in our lives.  
May Melina rest in peace and may her family be comforted in knowing that Melina and John have begun their next big adventure together.  

We are saddened to hear of Aunt Melina’s passing.  She will be greatly missed.  We pray that God gives you and the family the peace and comfort you need at this time.

With love,
Ralph Gutierrez Family 

Later in life when travelling the world, whatever country she was in, she looked like one of the native citizens as they would stop and ask her if she was from there.  I remember someone asking if she was from Turkey and one asking if she was from Iran.  I remember a man in Egypt offering my dad two camels in trade for her!  I also remember prior to this world travel; she took up belly dancing and had the whole costume, veils, and finger cymbals to go with it.  Who does that?  She wanted to learn how people belly danced.
She was a trail blazer with making up her own mind to go to college against all odds, graduate, teach, manage a family, then travel the world!  What a remarkable woman!  I love you Mom! 


Melina loved to play tennis with my dad and in singles and doubles matches with friends.  We spent many Saturdays at the tennis courts in Kiest Park.
I remember Melina having this huge and loud sneezing attack after eating certain foods we believe.  She used to tell us, “I am going to sneeze so hit the decks and run for cover!”
As I was growing up in my elementary years, we used to play outside all the time.  We rode bikes, played in the creek at the nearby park, played tackle football in different people’s yards.  When it was dinner time, the whole neighborhood would know it since she used a whistle to call me home!  She had a drawer full of whistles.  (In her later years, she denied this ever occurring, but it is etched in my memory.)  If she didn’t have the whistles that day, she would just yell, and we could hear her voice a street or two over!  I have one regret though as Melina came to some of my soccer games when I was a youth, and she would yell from the stands and of course everyone could hear her.  I told her one time to please not yell during the game.  She stayed quiet for a game or two and then just stopped coming.  Soccer has been such a big part of my life that I missed not having her there with me on that journey.


Melina wanted us to be independent as her goal.  She helped us all open our savings accounts at the Wynnewood bank and showed us how to make deposits and withdrawals, and as we got older, how to write checks too.  She encouraged us to work while in high school, so Karla started at Burger King, Teresa as at Taco Bell and then checker at Minyards Grocery store and I started at Regina’s Arts and Crafts as my first of many jobs sweeping floors and stocking shelves.  She also taught us many basic cooking skills so we wouldn’t starve when we went out into the world.  I still make grill cheeses and tomato to this day for our boys!
I remember Melina and John hosting “Bridge Night” every so often in the front half of our house, while us kids got to move the TV to one of the bedrooms and hung out watching what we wanted.  We could always hear Melina’s loud laughter over all the noise in the house.  What a joyful noise!
Melina loved visiting her sister, Lucille, and when they got together, the laughter was so loud that my dad had to stay outside for a while!


Melina wanted us to be well rounded, so each of us had art (oil painting) lessons, a sport (Teresa was tennis, Karla was swimming, and Mark was soccer.  Melina also encouraged me to play piano or guitar.  I chose guitar and still play it to this day. She wanted us to be good readers, so she regularly took us to the library, got us each a library card, and encouraged us to read which served us well in life.  She also wanted us to have a good work ethic, so we each had regular and rotating chores around the house for which we got an allowance.
Melina was very caring and sat with me and held me when car sick or running a fever or had the right remedy for other ailments.  Also, when dad was out of town, she would let us kids sleep in the king size bed with her so we wouldn’t be scared.  When elderly, Melina and John came to our house in Phoenix many times to enjoy the grandkids at Christmas time.


I remember going on regular trips to the bread outlet stores and stocking up on bread and Hostess Fruit pies among other goodies.  We always took our lunches to school instead of buying school lunches because it was too expensive.
She was strong in her faith and went to many Masses, Midnight Masses, Confession, etc. as a family.  She couldn’t carry a tune very well (my sisters used to cringe because she was loud), but she inspired me to sing along with her at Mass and played a large role in my love of Music Ministry.  She also encouraged us a family to pray the rosary periodically while kneeling around Mom and Dad’s bed when we were younger.  
Even though we saved money on food and other items, she wanted us all to have a good Catholic education, so we went to St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Elementary in Dallas.  When it came to high school though, we could not afford it, so we switched to public school.


Remembrances of Melina Gutierrez Hodge (12/2/1935 – 7/16/2021) from her son Mark’s perspective

Melina grew up in Bosque, NM.  It was not easy since her father, Abram, being a railroad man (employee) moved with her mother, Gregoria, and the younger children of the family (Jack, Margie) to Barstow, CA for work and left her oldest brother, Ralph, to raise Melina and Lucille in New Mexico.
Melina was determined to go to college.  Her oldest brother laughed at her for the thought, but Melina went anyway and was the first and maybe only one in her family to go to college.  She got a bachelor’s degree Home Economics.  She worked in the library at NMSU and that is where she met John Hodge.  
After graduation, she went and taught Home Economics in Mountainair, NM for a short time and then married John Hodge.
My dad always said that we would have never survived without Melina’s home economics knowledge.  He said that he ate a lot of tomato soup while trying to make ends meet for a family of 5.  Melina also never bought anything unless it was on sale!  


OBITUARY

Melina G Hodge

December 2, 1933 – July 16, 2021

Ted Dickey West Funeral Home

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