Jane Blackwell Hodges, 97, passed away on September 7, 2021 at her beloved home in Birmingham. She is now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She would be described by her friends as someone who was kind, creative, beautiful, a dynamic business woman in every way. Jane grew up an only girl in a family with three older brothers exploring and enjoying the early years of Avondale Park. This early family influence likely inspired Jane to be the strong independent young lady she became in later life. She graduated from Ramsey High School and attended the Historic National Park College in Maryland where she majored in Interior Design.
Jane married Earl Martin Stringfellow Jr. of Birmingham, with whom she had six children raised in the beautiful community of Mt. Brook. In 1972, she married Jake Chapline Hodges Jr., “Chap”. They enjoyed the virtues of a blended family, years of travel to their beloved lake house, and the success of a dynamic collaboration of Chap’s successful real estate brokerage and Jane’s wonderful interior design business.
Jane’s company, Side Street Interiors, defined an era of her unique style, appreciation of fine fabrics and interior finishes in many of Birmingham’s fine homes. That talent and commitment to excellence in her trade resulted in her becoming one of the more sought after interior designers in the state.
Above all, as a working mother into her 90’s, she focused her love of life towards her five surviving adult children, 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Sharing her spontaneous sense of humor, adventure and the ability to make us all feel like we were the most precious gift to her amazing life as Mama, Nanny, Sister and always your best friend.
Preceded in death by her parents Pauline Henderson Blackwell and Cicero Claude Blackwell, brothers Dr. Claude C. Blackwell, William Clifford Blackwell, husband Earl Martin Stringfellow Jr., husband Jake Chapline Hodges Jr.,step daughter Ellen Hodges Powell, daughters Paula Stringfellow Ford, Joy Lucille Stringfellow, sons Earl Martin Stringfellow III, Martin Blackwell Stringfellow. She is survived by step son Jake Chapline Hodges III, brother Jack Henderson Blackwell, sons Edward Tynes Stringfellow, Jack Blackwell Stringfellow, Grandchildren James Vardaman Fairley III, Jennifer Fairley Shackelford, Elizabeth Schrum Lee, Claudia Ford Hardcastle, Janie Ford Mayer, Westley Martin Stringfellow, Matthew Blackwell Stringfellow.
Memorial Services will be held Monday, Sept.13th at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, Mt. Brook, AL 2:00pm Family Visitation 3:00pm Service. Contributions may be made to the Founders Place of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church and Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
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