Mrs. Marcelle Camille Hodge

Marcelle Camille Hodge was born July 14, 1924 in French Culdesac on the island of St Martin, West Indies. She was the 9th of 10 children born to Alice and Alfred Hodge. Her father was a Lay Methodist Pastor who was the backbone of the family and the village. Her mother was the 1st elder. Marcelle and siblings held offices in the church. The Hodge family was very active in the church and in their village. Marcelle was a teacher and Superintendent at Sunday School which was kept under a Tamarind Tree in the neighbor’s yard. There was no Methodist Church in Culdesac so Marcelle and her family walked approximately 10 miles to the Methodist Church in Grand Case after Sunday School for church services. Marcelle actively helped in the home by cleaning, washing and cooking for her parents and siblings. Marcelle attended Ecole de Culdesac (French School of Culdesac) Elementary School and later transferred to Grand Case High School. She completed all grades of school at age 17 years. She served as a Substitute Teacher before and after graduation from the High School. At the age of 18, Marcelle got married to Maurice Constant Hodge. Four months later her father passed. She had a son named Maurice Jr. on May 1st, the same birthday of his father, Maurice Sr. Soon after, another child was born. Her name was Gloria. Unfortunately, she died when she was three months old. Marcelle accepted the Adventist message at 21 years old. She was baptized in Anguilla British West Indies. Sabbath School was kept under the Tamarind tree and church service was held in her mother’s house because there was no Adventist church on the island. The Advent message just came on the island through a colportor named Brother James. The first person to accept the message on the island was Marcelle’s older sister, Pierrette. She introduced the message to the family. Adventist teachers from the island of Guadeloupe came to St Martin to teach in the school. They also joined the church services in Marcelle’s home and fellowshipped together. Marcelle migrated to Aruba, Netherland Antilles with her husband Maurice who everyone called Constant. In Aruba, Marcelle had 3 other children; Neville, her son, and 2 daughters, Patricia and Laverna. Constant worked at Lago Oil Refinery and the family lived in their own home which Constant built. Even though they were in Aruba, Marcelle continued to support the Adventist group financially in St Martin, and later the 1st Seventh-Day Adventist Church on the island of St Martin was built, literally by the members of the church. A member of the church donated the land. After her husband was laid off from the oil refinery the entire family migrated to the United States. They lived in Brooklyn, New York. The family was sponsored by a family member and became citizens of the United States. Marcelle and her children became active members of the Brooklyn Temple SDA Church. Marcelle served as a leader of the primary division for 32 years. As a result of her teaching and devotion to the Lord, her children grew up singing songs of faith and deeply rooting their hearts in Jesus. Eventually each of the Hodge children became adults, married, and began raising families of their own. Unfortunately, her oldest son Maurice Jr. passed away on January 20, 1987. In 1989, Marcelle and Constant retired and returned to their island of birth, St Martin West Indies. Once again Marcelle became active in the Culdesac SDA Church in French St. Martin, and served in any way she could; as elder, treasurer, superintendent, children’s division teacher and leader, soloist and pianist. On December 29, 1998, after many years in retirement together, Maurice Constant Hodge Sr., the patriarch of the Hodge family, passed away. In 2006, due to increasing health issues, Marcelle moved permanently to Ellenwood, GA to live with her youngest daughter, Laverna Davidson, who became her caregiver. Soon after she became a member of Mountainside SDA Church. Marcelle was a major Cornerstone for the family. Many of the family members, both young and old, kept in contact with her through the years. She loved, shared, comforted, and willingly gave what she had to help any and everyone. On Monday, September 21, 2020 at 10:51am, Marcelle Hodge fell asleep in Jesus. Marcelle Hodge is survived by her children, Patricia Boodram, Neville Hodge, Laverna Davidson, her brother Isidore, sister Pierette, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a great, great grand child, nieces, nephews, and a host of cousins and friends. We are proud to share in her legacy, and celebrate the Christ centered and sacrificial life that she lived, with the hope that we will see her again in the earth made new! Home-Going Celebration for Mrs. Hodge will be held at 1:00PM Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home. Attendance is by INVITATION only. The service will be Live Streamed. Interment at Hillandale Memorial Gardens 6201 Hillandale Dr., Lithonia, GA 30058. Visitation will be held 4:00PM-6:00PM Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at our SOUTH DEKALB Chapel. Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home 4347 Flat Shoals Pkwy, Decatur, GA 30034 (404) 241-5656 Please express your condolences here on our website. Due to the COVID-19, a mask is required to enter the building. The Home-Going service will be Live Streamed

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Mrs. Marcelle Camille Hodge

July 18, 1924 - September 21, 2020