Charles “Chicken” Hodge went to be with his Lord Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at Little Rock, Arkansas.  Charles “Chicken Hodge was born on April 1, 1938, at Lead Hill, Arkansas, the son of Homer and Arkie Lee (Gann) Hodge.

     Services will be 10 AM, Friday, January 18, 2013, at the First Baptist Church in Diamond City with Pastor Mark Bailey, Embry Raley, Mary Cecil, Tori Cecil and Jordan Cecil speaking.  Visitation will be 6 to 8 PM, Thursday, January 17, 2013, at Roller-Christeson Funeral Home in Harrison.  Burial will be in Enon Cemetery following the services.

     Pallbearers will be Jackie Austin, Johnnie Austin, Abe Clary, Greg Criner, Billy Clay Clary and Embry Raley.  Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Sam Scroggins, Dr. Rebecca Simon, Staff of Arkansas Heart Hospital, Congregation of First Baptist Church of Diamond City and the Lead Hill High School Class of 1957.

     Chicken married Rose Mary Officer on November 20, 1961 and they spent 51 years together.  Chicken was a member of the First Baptist Church of Diamond City which he and friends and the good Lord helped build.  He retired from Entergy as a senior lineman and was inducted into the Lead Hill Hall of Fame the first year for his community involvement. Chicken gave his life to the Lord in 1984 and served as an Ordained Minister for many years loving the Lord with all his heart and always enjoying gospel music.

     Chicken was the oldest of his siblings and he was dedicated to keeping his family together.  It was evident if you were around him very long that you knew without a doubt that he loved his Lord and it reflected over into his family in the way he loved them.  One of his favorite times each year was the family fish fry and this past year he had 74 of his family there.  He was described as enjoying those family gatherings like a child on Christmas morning.

     He liked family time but he enjoyed time with his friends playing pool at the Senior Center or having time one on one time with his family. He loved spending time with his grandson Aaron teaching him to fish but also introducing him to turkey hunting as Chicken was a very accomplished hunter. He was pleased that he had led Jordan to becoming a minister and he always said he loved Tori’s giving spirit, pure heart and said she was the most beautiful girl in the world. He also loved fishing for fish but he also was a fisherman for men.  Time spent with Chicken was likely to be a learning experience about Jesus Christ and salvation.  As one younger man put it, “I came to know the Lord on my knees in Chicken’s boat while fishing.”