A memorial service for Dr. Thomas Lumpkin Hodges Jr., 95, of Clarkesville, will be held at a later date, and a private family burial will be in Mitchell, Georgia at the City Cemetery.
Dr. Hodges passed away Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.
Born Jan. 3, 1925, in Douglasville, he was the son of the late T.L. Hodges Sr. and Lillian Belle Powell Hodges, and was the first of four brothers, Tom, Bill, Bob and Alex.
Tom Hodges grew up in Decatur, attending Oakmont Elementary and Clairemont Elementary schools, graduating from Decatur High School in 1942, and Emory University, Medical School in 1948. He spent his internship at Piedmont Hospital, and other residencies, generally in internal medicine. Dr. Hodges gained a lot of experience in the ER at Grady Memorial Hospital and in a three-month Navy assignment at Parris Island Marine Base. Dr. Hodges attended Emory Medical School under a WWII program, V-12 by enlisting in the Navy, and therefore had to serve in the Navy following completion of medical school.
Becoming a doctor may well have been fostered by his paternal grandfather, Dr. Boze Kitchens, of Mitchell, and encouraged by his father and mother, and loving wife Carolyn Lewis Hodges. His medical philosophy was steadfast to the goal of making people well, so they could go home.
Dr. Hodges married Alice Carolyn Lewis, a student at Agnes Scott, in Decatur Dec. 23, 1944, at First Methodist Church. Tom and Carolyn originally met in Cradle Roll of the Church and were destined to be tied for life. Carolyn obtained her BS in Nursing at Emory. Together they raised six children, Thomas L. Hodges III, Carol H. Horne, David L. Hodges, Richard W. Hodges, Nancy H. Johnson and Phillip S. Hodges.
Tom served in the United States Navy over two periods, serving in several states and Japan after the end of World War II in Sasebo, Japan, on the Island of Kyushu, he served as Medical Officer to the military of as many as 90 ships, eventually rising to the rank of Lt. Commander.
As Navy families would, Tom and Carolyn moved about to many cities, including Decatur, Jacksonville, Florida, San Diego, San Jose, California, Saranac Lake, New York, Marblehead, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Millington, Tennessee before settling in Clarkesville.
The love of travel began before his service career in the Navy. One wonderful trip was in 1947, as he and Carolyn drove across the USA and back in the family Plymouth for a month not even suffering one flat tire.
In private medical practice, Dr, Hodges lived in Forsyth, from 1950 to 1953 and is fondly remembered for bringing many babies into this world there. Then Dr. Hodges was recalled to the Navy a second time and returned to his practice in Forsyth briefly. After the Navy, Dr. Hodges and Carolyn moved the family to Clarkesville where he joined a small practice with local doctors before starting his own practice, retiring in 1986, but serving Locum Tenens for some time after retirement. Tom and Carolyn continued their love of travel and service, including medical missions to Point Barrow, Alaska and Southwest Indian reservation. Travels included Irkutsk, Russia and Algeria with the Rainbow Rovers of Great Britain.
The four brothers spent many summer days in north Georgia at Lake Burton learning to swim and investigating the north Georgia mountains, which led Tom to enjoy hiking, an experience passed on to the children. While at Emory University, Tom joined the swim team and, among many college competitions, earned a Certificate of Merit for 2nd Place in the Southeastern Championship 266-yard freestyle relay competition in 1944.
Tom and one brother learned to fly airplanes, and he and Carolyn enjoyed many hours in small aircraft around the Decatur environs, providing some rides in the clouds to friends and family.
Tom and Carolyn became interested in canoeing in the Georgia lakes and rivers, teaching family members the joy of the lakes and rivers, and taking canoe excursions - even to Canada with son, Phillip and friends, taking his father and mother on an amazing trip before T.L. Hodges Sr. died in 1975.
Dr. Tom Hodges and Carolyn Hodges served the community of Clarkesville, and north Georgia in numerous ways, including public office. The Honorable Dr. T.L. Hodges was Mayor of Clarkesville after serving on City Council and Carolyn was a member of City Council at a different time. They were devoted to the First Methodist Church in Clarkesville, to the city and the region. Dr. Hodges also devoted time as Scoutmaster of Troop 5, PTA president, Band Boosters president, Habitat for Humanity, literacy tutor, foster parents and hosting numerous foreign students studying in the United States. Dr. Hodges was also one of the original developers of the Helendorf Inn in Helen. In 2003, he was honored as the Grand Marshall of the Clarkesville Christmas Parade. Tom, Carolyn and later Jackie were all active in the Habersham County Historical Society.
Dr. Hodges sang in the church choir at the First Methodist Church in Clarkesville, which was a testament to his love of music, fostered by his mother, Lillian and by his wife, Carolyn. He played the violin and clarinet, to a very private audience of family, and he inspired his children in music, each having exceptional skills. Tom and Carolyn formed many great friendships across North Georgia while active in square dancing groups.
After his beloved Alice Carolyn Lewis died in June of 2011, Dr. Tom renewed friendship with a lovely widowed lady, Jacquelyn Lovell Durham. The families had previously known each other through the community. They were married Dec. 20, 2011 and continued a loving relationship until his death. Tom and Jackie, as she was known to the family, had many more adventures together, traveling, river rafting and parasailing.
Dr. Thomas L. Hodges Jr. is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn Durham Hodges; one brother, James Alexander Hodges; five of his six children; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
The family requests that flowers be omitted and memorial contributions may be made to Clarkesville United Methodist Church, P. O Box 365, Clarkesville, GA 30523; Habitat for Humanity, 1085 Rocky Branch Rd., Clarkesville, GA 30523; Habersham County Animal Shelter, 4231B Toccoa Hwy, Clarkesville, GA 30523; Habersham County Historical Society, P. O. Box 924, Cornelia, GA 30531; or a charity of one's choice.
An electronic guest register is available at whitfieldfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, Demorest.