Muriel “Lee” Hodges

Muriel Lee Hodges, 81, former Clinton resident residing in Goodyear, Arizona has gone to be with her Lord and Savior, born August 10, 1937, died March 25, 2019 after a long illness of heart related problems. 
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer O. Hurtt, three brothers, Philip, Robert, and Paul of Oklahoma City, father and mother-in-law Carlos V. Hodges and Velma E. Hodges, later Florence Hodges, and Bill Hodges of Clinton, preceded her in death. She is survived by two sisters, Virginia Sherman and Darlene Lewis of Oklahoma City, and brother-in-law David Hodges and wife, Susan, and sister-in-law Carla Cruson and husband, Gary, of Clinton and numerous children and grandchildren from David’s family and Carla’s family. 
She was visiting with her daughter and family in Munich, Germany, at the time of her death. She is also survived by her husband, Lewis Riley Hodges, who was with her at the time of death, two living daughters, Cynthia Lee Trigas and husband, Tom, of Munich, and Sharon Elaine Hodges and husband, Wayne Comfort of Goodyear, by three grandchildren, Alex Trigas, Vessie Srchoff, and Orestes Trigas, and four great grandchildren, Eric Riley Trigas and Leon Orestes Trigas, Lia Srchoff and Nikki Srchoff, all of Munich. 
Lee, as she was affectionately known, graduated from Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City. She obtained a bachelor and a master degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford, and a PhD degree in higher education at the University of Utah. Dr. Hodges taught in elementary education, then held higher education positions training teachers in special education at Salt Lake City Unified School District, two community colleges, University of Utah Medical Center, University of Iowa in Iowa City, University of Hawaii at Honolulu, University of Alaska at Juneau, Union College in Kentucky, and finished her career as Special Education Director at Snowflake, Arizona. Dr. Hodges continued giving seminars in Special Education at colleges and universities in retirement. Her husband, Riley, also a PhD, worked in these same places and together they published many journal articles and select chapters in books. 
Lee loved her children and extended family. She was a very positive person who continually served others. Service, research, strength, wisdom, enthusiasm, and fortitude were a few of the attributes that others sought to mimic. The world is a better place by her presence on earth. Lee requested that her ashes be buried in the Hodges Family plot in Clinton Cemetery, and her marker be placed next to her husband who will be buried there when he passes on.