Hazel Hodges

On Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, at 1:35 p.m., Hazel Hodges entered into the gates of heaven surrounded by her loving family. The family has scheduled a visitation from 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22nd, at First Baptist Church in Paris. Cremation was under the care and direction of Bright-Holland Funeral Home. Hazel, the daughter of Jack & Letha Nesbitt Sawyer, was born Sept. 20, 1953, in Paris. For forty years she was the bookkeeper for her husband at Hodges’ Garage. Her passion and greatest satisfaction in life, came from caring for her husband, sons, grandchildren and a multitude of others that she considered family. She took great pride in her ability to cook and loved to feed an army. Family and friends stopped by routinely to see what was on the menu for the night. She served as a "best friend", "confidant" and "secret keeper" for her adoring grandchildren and loved them beyond measure. Above all, Hazel served as the rock and backbone of the family, showing unconditional love and selflessness. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Jimmy Lawrence Brooks, infant sister, Minnie and sister-in-law, Mary Beth Gilliam. Survivors include, the love of her life, Reggie Hodges, whom she married on Nov. 25, 1968, building forty-six years of family and memories, two sons, Jimmy Hodges & wife Lori and Freddy Hodges all of Paris, grandchildren, Preston, Emily and Sawyer Hodges, special friends, Steve Thurman, Josh Marshall, Johnny Hodges, Margaret Jane, Debra and Delores, "other sons", Chris Fox, Nick Miller,JC Gilliam, Geoffrey Annis, and Chad Stewart, three brothers, Chester Sawyer, Jack Sawyer and Bill Brooks, three sisters, Catherine Austin, Sandy Flynn and Lethann Turk along with many nieces & nephews and a host of friends.