A public Celebration of Life service for Mr. Jimmie Ray Hodges, age 79, of Benton, KY, who passed away Friday, December 18, 2020, at Marshall Co. Hospital in Benton, KY, will be held Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. at the Briensburg Baptist Church. Rev. Brad Walker will officiate
Jimmie was born January 15, 1941 in Paducah, KY. He graduated from Lone Oak High School and Georgia Tech. Jimmie was an employee of Arkema in Calvert City for 32 years, where his job as Manager of Technology allowed him to travel the world. He was also the holder of several U.S. Patents. While he was working for Arkema in Tacoma, WA, he and his team of chemical engineers were responsible for the development of the technology used to extract arsenic from ground water. Up until that time, this had been impossible to accomplish. Jimmie was awarded the Washington State Governor’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Science for developing this procedure. Jimmie was a member of Briensburg Baptist Church where he was also a Sunday School Teacher.
Jimmie is survived by his wife of 52 years, Brenda (English) Hodges of Benton, KY; children, Christopher Hodges, wife Jennifer of Paducah, KY, Lisa Bess, husband Harold of Idaho Springs, CO, Tabatha Medlin, husband Rick of Lansdale, PA, Barbara Hodges, husband Lynn Straub of Idaho Springs, CO, Benjamin Hodges, wife Tamara of Wingo, KY, and Dustin Hodges, wife Krista of Benton, KY; eighteen grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; brother: Ronnie Hodges, wife Jane of Paducah, KY; and sister, Debra Hodges of Paducah, KY.
Jimmie was preceded in death by his parents, Ray Lynn and Mildred (Fletcher) Hodges and one grandchild.
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions at the time Jimmie passed away, a private service and burial was held December 22, 2020, Bro. Brad Walker officiated and burial followed in the Briensburg Cemetery .
Collier Funeral Home, 211 West 5th St., Benton, KY is serving the Hodges family.
The family request that memorial contributions be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: (JDRF), 200 Vesey Street, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10281. Donations are accepted at www.JDRF.org or via mail at JDRF, P.O. Box 37920, Boone IA 50037-0920.