Lewis “Lew” Wilford Hodge Sr. was born on August 10, 1937 in Rolla, Missouri to Aaron S. Hodge and Josie M. Cook and passed away on October 7, 2025 at the age of 88 years.
Lew received his education from the Rolla Public schools and later received his GED while serving his country in the United States Navy while stationed in the Grand Turk Islands and Bermuda.
In 1959 he married Janet M. Miller.
Lew was an excellent mechanic and was a master carpenter. He often came up with little gadgets for making life simpler.
He worked as a Weight Inspector before becoming a Missouri State Highway Patrolman. He served on the force for 29 years, retiring as a sergeant in 1994.
During his employment at the patrol he met his long time companion, Jan Kudlack.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman, enjoying adventures throughout his 31 years of retirement in Canada, Wyoming, Colorado, and Florida. He regularly fished the Osage River at Bagnell Dam near Osage Beach Missouri. The annual deer camp near Ft. Leonard Wood, created many memories over the last 40 years.
Lew was an active member of Vichy Community Church. He accepted Christ as his savior in 1959 while attending a revival at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Rolla, Missouri.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Aaron Hodge and Josie Cook; son, Christopher Wayne Hodge; 12 siblings, Aaron, Chester, Russell, Arthur, Elmer, Herman, Clarence, identical twin brother Riley, Lloyd, Paul Hodge, Iva Hodge Yates and Marjorie Hodge Light.
He is survived by children, Lewis W. Hodge Jr. and wife Willeen Hodge of Moore, Oklahoma and Angela Hodge Burns of Exeter, Missouri; 12 grandchildren, Brandon, Brent and Bryant Hodge, Shannon Burns Bartkoski, Darrell, and Clayton Burns, Douglas, Jacob, Jessica, and Charlee Hodge, Megan Garay and Gabby Garay Register; 12 great grandchildren, Luca, Liam, Colt and Brynlee Hodge, Aiden Graves, Bliss Hodge, Trevor Appel, Emma Louise Smith, and Mason, Jensen, Samuel, and Sawyer Burns; sister, Janette Hodge Cox; other relatives and friends.
Visitation was held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2025 at the Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla, Missouri.
Funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at the Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla, Missouri.
Interment followed in the Macedonia Cemetery.
Arrangements under the direction of the Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla, Missouri.
