Jay Hodges

Jay Hodges, 93, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, formerly of Johnson City, Tennessee, passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at St. Bernard’s Medical Center, Jonesboro, Arkansas.       Jay was born in Jonesborough, Tennessee, on August 5, 1925, to James Blaine Hodges and Callie Mae Durham Hodges.  He worked for Kennemetal from 1966 through 1989, when he retired after 23 years.        Jay was a member of Skyline Heights Baptist Church.  He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Germany and France.  He enjoyed softball, church activities, family reunions, and traveling.  He genuinely loved his family and friends and treasured the time he could spend with them.       Jay is survived by his wife of 74 years, Mary Marie McHargue Hodges; two sons, Rev. Kenneth Ray Hodges & wife Vonda of DeRidder, LA, and David Keith Hodges of Dallas, TX; two daughters, Janice Leigh Hodges Dowd & husband Barry of Jonesboro, AR, and Sara Marie Hodges Bostic of Knoxville, TN; four grandsons, Christopher Ray Hodges and Timothy Andrew Hodges of Winnie, TX, Jesse Oren Bostic of Chicago, IL, and Jared Steven Bostic of Knoxville, TN; and three great-granddaughters, Cadence Marie Hodges and Elizabeth Rae Hodges of Lake Arthur, LA, and Charlotte Bernice Hodges of Beaumont, TX.       Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Appalachian Funeral Home, with the funeral service to follow at 1 p.m. with Rev. Kenneth Hodges, Jay’s son, officiating.  Interment will follow in Roselawn Memory Gardens, Johnson City. Military honors will be accorded by the Carter County Honor Guard.       Active pallbearers are Billy Donaldson, Kenneth Francis, Alton McIntosh, Joe Broyles, Don Sparks, and Dewayne Sparks.  Honorary pallbearers are Jim Greene, Herman Cox, Phil Jones, Chad Stephens, and Mac McLellan.Read Obituary