M.G. Hodges III

M.G. Hodges, III, 78, graduated to Glory on Saturday, December 17, 2016, in his home in Belmont, TX, surrounded by family and loved ones. M.G. was born March 21, 1938, at home in Meltonsville, Marshall County, Alabama to Montgomery Gilbreath “Put” Hodges, Jr. and Bonnie Violet Johnson Hodges. M.G. married Gwendolyn Jeanette Lamprecht Hodges in Nixon, TX, on September 30, 1982. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Gonzales, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the American Legion, and earned a lifetime commission as a law officer.

M.G. was the second born in a family of four children, including his sister and two brothers. He grew up on a farm picking cotton and swore that he walked to school barefoot, uphill both ways, even in the snow. Growing up, M.G. developed a strong work ethic and sense of independence working with his family on their farm. He told stories of how he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and swimming on the Tennessee River. M.G. attended elementary school at Five Points, and high school at Marshall County High School (MCHS) in Guntersville, Alabama. While in high school, M.G., not only was the acclaimed “catch of the town” but he played football as a tackle for the Marshall County High Wildcats and played on the 1955 state championship winning team and was named an All-State football player. After graduating high school, he continued his education at the University of Georgia, where he received a full-ride football scholarship and played for the Georgia Bulldogs as an offensive lineman in the position of tackle. After his freshman year, he left Georgia to serve his country in the U.S. Army. Following his military service, he returned to college, once again on a football scholarship, this time to Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

As a graduate of Jacksonville State with a double major in Mathematics and Chemistry, M.G. first went on to prepare to be a funeral home director, interning at Carr’s Funeral Chapel in the Pines in Guntersville, Alabama where he lived in the apartment above the funeral home and even drove the hearse for a short period of time. After deciding that mortuary sciences were not his life’s calling, he decided to teach high school math and coach football for a year, an experience he chose not to repeat. His next career choice was to become an oceanographer. While training as an oceanographer in St. Louis, Missouri, he took a turn in a submarine-simulator that made him feel both claustrophobic and seasick and realized that spending long periods of time hundreds of feet under the sea probably wouldn’t be a good fit for him. While on the same trip, MG struck up a conversation with recruiters from Ralston-Purina and was offered a job in the poultry industry.

He began his career with Ralston-Purina in Albertville, Alabama, in 1964 and one year later left his Alabama home when he was transferred to Center, Texas. In March of 1966, he came to Gonzales. He and Johnny Gunn saw the need and were able to find land to get the Purina Feed Mill (now the Land O’ Lakes Mill) located on Sarah DeWitt Drive, built in Gonzales. In 1972, Ralston-Purina sold the division in which M.G. was working to Cal-Maine Farms, Inc., a company that would in time become the largest commercial egg producer in the world. M.G. continued in the same type of job with Cal-Maine. A long-time general manager for the company, M.G. worked in the egg industry for 52 years, 2 months, and two weeks and proudly ushered in cutting-edge technology to the commercial egg industry. During the latter part of his career with Cal-Maine, he was promoted to Special Project Manager and finally retired on August 5, 2016, as a corporate administrative advisor wherein he had been able to make use of his extensive knowledge to advise the company on special projects, acquiring land, controlling pollution, environmental protection, construction, as well as to generate solutions to a variety of problems. The self-proclaimed country boy from the backwoods had the natural intelligence and the breadth of experience that made him a valuable part of the Cal-Maine team for over 40 years.

Upon arrival in Gonzales, M.G. discovered distant relatives in the area. After some investigating, they found that Gonzales County was the ancestral home of a branch of the Hodges family. His great-great-great grandfather, James Hodges, Jr., helped settle Gonzales in 1835, and it didn’t take long for M.G. to settle into his new home here.

His mother and sister touted that he was a celebrity and football star making him the most eligible bachelor in Marshall County, but M.G. considered himself the lucky one when he married his beloved wife of 34 years, Gwen. His love for Gwen was never failing. Together they raised a loving family in Gonzales. As Gwen taught school and carted the children from one event to the next, M.G. worked hard providing for his family. His three sons and two daughters grew to become accomplished men and women who followed in his footsteps of hard work, love and devotion to family. Every chance he got, M.G. told everyone of how proud he was of his children, giving regular updates to anyone who would listen. Abundantly blessed, his family knew him for his pure love of giving, always quick to help and take care of anything he could to make their lives easier. M.G.’s generous spirit also extended to his professional life, where he often helped co-workers and employees succeed personally and professionally. He had a passion for helping others get back on their feet and did whatever he could to make that happen.

With excellent mechanic and carpentry skills, M.G. could often repair or build whatever project he chose to pursue. He also enjoyed fishing and was always on the hunt for the biggest catch in one of his numerous boats. His love of football continued after college, from watching his grandsons win state championships to couch-coaching professional teams on TV. M.G.’s other hobbies included: collecting boats and cars, cruising the aisles of Walmart and HEB in a motorized cart, feeding his fish and deer just to watch them eat, taking naps on his “Aunt Sofa”, and falling asleep to the sound of his favorite western movies. M.G. was famous for regularly holding court with some great friends at the “High Council” at the local Dairy Queen with a cup of coffee in hand, an ice cream sundae on the side, and plenty of local news to go around. A generous soul, he was happy to share whatever stories he’d picked up, or others that he had made up.

Above all, M.G. was a loving family man, willing to do anything and everything for those he held dear. On the surface, people saw a man who loved Lincoln towncars and beat-up (or as he said, “classic”) trucks, but his family knew the man who bought a car from a family as a short-term loan, or even to loan a car to someone who needed a little bit of help. M.G. was the master of small talk, having never met a stranger; and if he ever did meet a stranger, he was sure to remedy that. He was a kind and generous man, quick to make people smile; who was loved by all who knew him - even those he just met. His presence was always known everywhere he went, telling tall tales and great jokes to people young and old alike. The positive impact that he made in the lives of all who knew him will continue on indefinitely.

Montgomery Gilbreath Hodges, III, “M.G.” is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Gwen Hodges of Belmont, doting children, Montgomery Gilbreath, IV, “Monty” and Nancy Kaye of Shiner, Patrick Frank and Melinda of Shiner, Jaret William of West LaFayette, Indiana, Jade Whitney of Live Oak, and Jasmin Whitley of San Antonio, grandchildren Montgomery Gilbreath V “Gil”, Brett, Krystin, Paige, Grayson Hodges, and Ian Mills; sister, Lena Kate Hodges DeGaris of Pell City, Alabama, brother and sister-in-law, Ernest Earl and Elke Hodges of Langston, Alabama, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Joshua Randall.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 in the Sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Gonzales, and will be officiated by Dr. Chris Irving of FBC Gonzales and Father Randy Melton of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Gonzales. Interment will follow in the Hermann Sons Cemetery. Pallbearers: Monte, Patrick, Jaret, Gil, Brett, and Grayson Hodges. Honorary Pallbearers: Ian Mills, Annesley DeGaris, Sumter DeGaris, Russel Hodges, Johnnie Mitchell, Reginald Othold, John Lamprecht, Jr., Jimbo Lamprecht and his Dairy Queen coffee group. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, the American Cancer Society or other charity of your choice. The family will receive friends during a visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 20, 2016 in the funeral home. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.