Joan Story Hodges was born on April 29th, 1933 in Angeltown, TN, to the late Joe & Pauline (Holmes) Story. She passed away at White House Health Care and was received into her eternal home in Heaven by her Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 16th, 2022.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by James Donald Hodges, her husband of seventy-one years; three sons: Clifton Lee, James Michael, & Mark Alan; son-in-law, Steve Holloran.
Mrs. Hodges is survived by daughter, Donna (Ronnie) Durrett of Franklin, KY; daughter-in-law, Sherry Hodges of Portland; four granddaughters: Kelly (Bret) Snow of Franklin, KY, Lisa (Harrison) Johnson of Brentwood, Charity Hodges of Los Angeles, & Audra’ (Robert) Carter of Gallatin; eighteen great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; brother, Jack (Araine) Story and sister, Judy (Mike) Weddle, both of Indianapolis, IN.
Donald was the love of her life. They were married on June 10th, 1949. They did everything together. Joan worked alongside her husband on the farm doing almost everything: setting, hoeing, and stripping tobacco; driving tractors and trucks along with cooking meals for all the farm help.
She worked in the public sector for several years including Kendall in Franklin, KY, the Prissy Miss and Vandor Dress Shops in Portland and the O.E.O. (Office of Economics Opportunity—a program set up to help those living in poverty, the elderly, and those experiencing racial injustice).
Both Donald & Joan were members of the Portland First Baptist Church from their youth. Both individually and together they served the Lord in various ministries, mission trips, and outreach. They enjoyed camping even up to the last year of Donald’s life, which always included family & friends. They loved to travel, making several trips to Hawaii, the Holy Lands and Europe.
Joan loved meeting new people and making friends. She would regularly be seen giving and receiving hugs. She had a passion for sending greeting cards for holiday, special occasions or just to let people know she was thinking of them.
Joan and Donald loved their family and friends, enjoyed gatherings as often as possible. Much laughter took place around their kitchen table playing games.
Joan was always quick to share her life verse from Proverbs 3:5-7: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.
A celebration of life will take place at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 20th, 2022 at the Portland First Baptist Church with Bro. Greg McCoy, Bro. Tim Colovos, Bro. David Harper, & Bro. Randy Brown. Visitation for Mrs. Hodges will be on Friday, August 19th, 2022 from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Wilkinson & Wiseman Funeral Home and on Saturday, August 20th, 2022 from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm at the Portland First Baptist Church. https://www.wilkinsonwiseman.com
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