Willie Mae Hodge

KEWANEE – Willie Mae Hodge, 78, of Kewanee, died at 12:51 a.m., Sunday, October 8, 2017 at her home.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 13 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee. Paul Schultz will officiate. Visitation will be held from 3:00-5:00 p.m., Thursday, October 12 at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the COPD Foundation.

She was born August 1, 1939 in Grand Chain, IL, the daughter of Adolphus J. and Versie M. (Travis) West Sr. She married James E. Hodge on June 16, 1956 in Peoria and he preceded her in death on June 10, 1998. Survivors include her eight children, Cheryl Lynn Hodge Johnson, Lewis E. Hodge Sr., Donna Marie Hodge, Lisa Rochelle Hodge Reed and James W. (Latisha) Hodge Sr., all of Kewanee, Lori Ann Hodge Wilson of Bowling Green, KY, Linda Gynell Hodge of South Dakota and Amy Genean (Zach) Hodge Bailey of Kewanee, a brother, Adolphus West Jr, two sisters, Hazel West and Marcella Lobdell, thirty grandchildren and thirty-two great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Leon in infancy and Alphonso, a sister, Myrtle, a son, Randal Lee and two daughters, Angela and Delores.

Willie Mae had worked at the Mail-O-Graph in Kewanee, in the dietary department at the Kewanee Care Home and in skilled nursing at Kewanee Hospital. She was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses. She enjoyed cooking and baking. Willie Mae was an unconditional loving mother who loved her family and the Bible and was known as the “neighborhood mama.”

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