Irene Maye Hodge

Irene Maye Hodge, 84, of Paola, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at North Point Nursing Home, Paola, Kansas. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 3, 2021, at the Paola First Lutheran Church. Family will meet with friends from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. prior to the funeral at the church. Inurnment will take place at Paola Cemetery following the service. Irene was born Saturday, December 12, 1936, in Minot, ND, the daughter of John and Selma (Pederson) Balke. Irene worked at J. F. Pritchard and Company on the Plaza in 1957 where she met Robert working a summer job to fund his continued engineering education. She worked in the payroll department, so she delivered Robert's bi-weekly check. One thing led to another and about a year later they were united in marriage. They were married on June 7, 1958 in Kansas City, Kansas. After a short honeymoon to Grand Lake in Oklahoma, they both went back to work. When first son Jeff was born in June of '61, Irene happened to be in Oklahoma City where Robert was working for the FAA in a school assignment. A little over two years later, August '63, number two son Jon came along. She was back in Kansas City at this time. Shortly thereafter she was on her way to Aurora, Illinois. She wasn't too happy about that and neither was Robert. But that's where their check was being sent. Robert went to work to find another job location in FAA. It was a little over two years later, the Fall of '66, he found a much better job location. On June 5, 1967, their daughter Julie was born in Honolulu, Hawaii!! Irene had a wonderful year and a half in paradise. But all good things must come to an end, and she moved again! She had a six month stay in Oklahoma City for another school of Robert's. It was a fun-in-the-sun time though because their accommodations included a swimming pool where she taught all the kids to swim. When school was over, she headed out for Aurora, Illinois again for a short stay. Her next move came in 1970 when Robert was transferred to Washington D.C. She found a nice home in Annandale, VA, where she spent three years. This time she found work as a den mother for the Cub Scouts. Her next move was a career move for Robert to gain supervisory experience. So in 1973, she was off to Olathe, KS, and she really settled down there, for 14 years! Soon after moving there, her mother came to live with them there. They enjoyed lots of fun things while there; square dancing, camping trips, snow skiing in Colorado, water skiing in the Ozarks, bridge, and lots of tennis. Irene's mom lived with them a few more years before she passed away. It turned out, Irene was due for one more big move. This time it was to the 49th state, Anchorage, Alaska. It worked out very good for her there because she got a job with the racket club in Anchorage earning a little extra cash. But the big bonus was that they could play all the tennis they wanted, for free. She also got in plenty of downhill snow skiing, only five minutes from the house and also belonged to a Pinochle Club. While she was there, Robert bought an airplane and learned how to fly so she got to see a lot of Alaska from the air, too, and there's no better way to do it. What a life! Eventually Robert's mom came to live with them, too. After five years, she had had enough of the COLD, as did her mother-in-law, so they moved one more time. This time they moved to Paola, Kansas, and she lived there longer than any other place, 30 years. She contributed to her community while working for Sandy's Bridal Shop and spent many hours as a helper at the Miami County Hospital. She also enjoyed many high school volleyball, basketball, and softball games. She became an avid walker in her last 10 or so years as a part of her recovery from a terrible fall, walking 2-3 miles a day, 3 times a week. She and her family enjoyed traveling, having been to all 50 states. She also enjoyed cooking. She was a member of the Miami County Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary and the First Lutheran Church in Paola. Irene was a wonderful daughter, who loved her mother dearly. She was also a wonderful mother to her children and they will vouch for that. She was a wonderful wife who was always there when Robert needed her and ready to go when a move was necessary, 63 years worth! And finally, she was always a wonderful friend and made many, many friends in her lifetime, from school days to the end and worked to stay in touch as she moved around a lot. She was loved by all and will be surely missed and never will be forgotten! Survivors include her husband Robert of the home, two sons Jeffrey Hodge of Haslet, TX and Jon Hodge of Hanscom AFB, MA; daughter Julie Wagner of Fairbanks, AK; 5 grandchildren; one great grandchild; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Elroy and Jimmy Balke, and her sister Lorrie Theorin. On a more pleasant thought, Irene passed away while she was doing her favorite thing at North Point, she was taking a shower! The family suggests memorial contributions to Alzheimer's Assoc. c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary-Crematory, 305 N. Pearl Street, Paola, KS 66071. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Irene’s Tribute Wall.