Sharon Elaine Hodge, age 77, died July 18, 2022 at the Mapleton Community Home in Mapleton, MN. A private burial will be at the Minnesota Lake Catholic Cemetery at a later date. Nasinec Funeral Home in Wells is entrusted with arrangements. Please see www.nasinecfh.com to leave online condolences.
Sharon was born February 21, 1945 in Minnesota Lake, daughter of Daniel and Phyllis Hodge. She was one of ten children born to the couple. Sharon was Baptized, received First Communion and Confirmed at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Minnesota Lake, MN. Sharon was also a member of the St. Casimir Catholic Church of Wells, MN. Sharon was known to some as, “Kidda” or “Doc”. After high school Sharon moved to Highwood, Illinois where she met the love of her life, Fred Smith. Fred was stationed at Fort Sheridan Army Post, Fort Sheridan, IL. After Fred received an honorable discharge, they moved to Wells to be closer to family and neighbors. Sharon especially loved to be with Aunty Jo (Josephine Schultz). Sharon worked in a number of restaurants in Illinois and Minnesota and she was a fry cook at Virginia’s Café in Highwood, IL.
Sharon is survived by Sylvia (Steve) Hodge of Moor Park, California; Angela (Ronald) Miller of Albert Lea; Mary Eytcheson of Wells; Brad and Brian Hodge of Minnesota Lake and Randy Hodge of Mapleton.
Sharon is preceded in death by her parents Daniel and Phyllis Hodge; Daniel (Carol) Hodge of Wells; Carolee (Jerry) Heikkenen of Highwood; Shirley (Donald) Schimmele of St. Cloud; and her lifetime partner of 43 years, Fred Smith.
Thank you to the Mapleton Community Home and staff for the wonderful care and fun for so many years. They really went above and beyond especially during Covid when family could not visit. Also special thanks to Nasinec Funeral Home in Wells for taking care of Sharon’s arrangements and for helping our family through the rough times.
Sharon was a wonderful woman and I so enjoyed visiting with her. She had a great sense of humor and is now rejoined with Fred.
Hodge family:
My deepest sympathy to each of you at this difficult time. I was very fortunate to meet Sharon when I worked in Home Health and at the Mapleton Community Home. I’ll never forget the day she introduced me to raw turnips sprinkled with salt. At that time, I was young and fresh out of school, so I really had no clue what this “thing” was she wanted me to slice up. I’ll never forget the smirk on her face and the “Well. It’s a turnip.” that followed. We both sure got a good laugh out of it! To this day, I always think of Sharon when I slice up a turnip. She was such a joy to be around, witty, and had a second to none sense of sarcastic humor. Sharon will be missed here on earth, but find comfort and peace as she’s reunited with Fred.