Obituary of Kathryn Ellen Hodges

Kathryn, or as many knew her by Ellen, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away after a fierce several years’ long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by close family at home and fought with great strength, leaving us with certainty of her never-ending joy of living and love of family.

Ellen was raised in Meridian, Mississippi where she spent the majority of her life. She graduated from Meridian High School and attended Business College. It is in Meridian that she utilized her business savvy, magnetic personality and an unbounding care for others to build several entrepreneurial undertakings. She got her start in banking and then made the leap to marketing and advertising in Meridian, eventually developing her first business: Hodges Advertising. Her business motto was “Honesty, Integrity and Fairness.” These values and work ethic were certainly instilled in her family and her family was always most important to her. Her daughter, Amie, often spoke about her attentiveness to those around her and when in her presence you felt her love. She would easily go without ensuring others got what they needed. Ellen followed in her mother’s footsteps in becoming a spectacular cook. Around this time of year her cookie tins, filled with her famous chocolate chip cookies, would begin circulating, but in a flash, they would be returned without a morsel to be found. Ellen was a lover of the holidays, and she took a great deal of pride and enjoyment out of creating the most colorful, majestic and heart-warming decorations and feasts. She derived such joy from making others happy and this was never more evident during family gatherings for Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. As she became ill, that creativeness spilled over into art and that became her therapy through her final years. In typical Ellen fashion, she excelled as an artist and shared her gift with friends, family and acquaintances. She contained such a loving, beautiful and fearless soul that touched everyone even those in all facets of the medical community who treated and cared for her. Ellen always became “special” to those that encountered her. She will be dearly missed by ALL.

Ellen is survived by her daughter, Amie McDonald (Kerby); grandsons, Tanner Barrett, Sam McDonald, Tate Barrett, and Eli McDonald; brothers, Howard E. (Ed) Reeves, Jr., Bobby Reeves (JoAnna) and Todd Reeves; and an abundance of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews whom she adored dearly. She is proceeded in death by her father, Howard E. Reeves Sr., and her mother, Mary C. Reeves.

A small private funeral will be held on December 24th and officiated by Pastor Tina Wilson.

A celebration of life event and a service will be announced at a later date for all friends and family to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Kathryn Ellen Hodges Memorial Fund. This fund will transfer to the K. Ellen Cancer Foundation, a non-profit currently being set up to honor Ellen and help so many like her that are in need. Its mission is to provide advocacy, medical supplies/equipment, caregiver support and transportation for cancer patients and their families. Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank or checks can be mailed to 14255 S. 12th Place, Phoenix, AZ 85048