Ernest Hodge

Funeral Services for Bro. Ernest Hodge, 91, of White Oak, will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October 5, 2019, at Grace Baptist Church in Gladewater with Pastor Jim Withers, Bro. Roger Carr and Pastor Troy Hollingsworth officiating. Interment will follow at Bear Creek Cemetery in Linden, Texas. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater. Bro. Hodge passed away Tuesday, October 1, 2019, in Longview.

Brother Hodge was born in a log cabin to a family of sharecroppers May 31, 1928 in Linden, Texas (The Bear Creek Community) to the late Milton Mancel Hodge and Veda Louella Neese Hodge; one of 12 children and the second of twins. Ernest graduated from Avinger High School and was an All-State basketball player and member of the 1947 team that went to state. In 1950 he met and married Faye Byrd and they began what would be a 57 year marriage to each other and the Lord. In 1956 Bro. Hodge surrendered his life to the ministry and followed his calling to be a preacher. He attended Baptist Bible College, Dallas Baptist Theological Seminary and would receive a Doctorate of Divinity from Texas Baptist College. Bro. Hodge would continue to pastor for 54 years; founding 3 churches, preaching revival meetings all over the U.S. He and Sister Faye also did mission work in Mexico and had an evangelistic radio broadcast. Sister Faye passed away in 2007. In 2008 Bro. Hodge married Linda Nichols and they enjoyed over 10 wonderful years of marriage until her passing in February of 2019. Bro. Hodge’s ministry touched countless lives and his legacy of love for the Lord will live on through all those he touched.

He is survived by his three children Belinda Hodge Weatherall, Sharon Hodge Rigsby and husband Johnny and John Ernest Hodge and wife Jenny; step sons Jimmy Nichols and Mark Nichols; sister Edris Maddry; nine grandchildren Andrew Weatherall, Sean Butler, Laci Kirk, Adrian Butler, Jeremy Rigsby, Amy Cook, Gay Noble, Christopher Edwards and Isaiah Murphy; seventeen great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews as well as many other loving family and friends.

Bro. Hodge is preceded in death by his parents, ten siblings and wives Faye Byrd Hodge and Linda Nichols Hodge.