Cordelia Niland Hodges

Cordelia (Dee) Niland Hodges, born on Dec 2, 1922, died peacefully on the morning of November 27, 2025, at Balfour Senior Living in Littleton, CO, five days short of her 103rd birthday. Dee was born in West Brownsville, PA, the first child of Michael and Virgina Niland. Dee graduated from Middletown High School in 1941 where she excelled in Speech and Debate. Her family moved to Ogden, Utah the day after her high school graduation, where her father was part of the team that started Hill Air Force Base, near Ogden.

Dee attended Weber College and then worked at the Hill Air Force Base payroll office, where she designed a paycheck delivery system for the employees.

In 1946, Dee met Jim Hodges, an Army veteran, through a friend of her brother Eric. In 1947 Jim and Dee were married and moved to Salt Lake City, where Jim graduated from the University of Utah. The family grew over the following years, adding Gregg James (1950), Clayton Michael (1952) and Lael Marie (1955). During this time Jim and Dee were active members in the Order of Eastern Star, eventually serving as Grand Patron and Matron of Utah. Dee was a 75-year member of Eastern Star in Utah.

In Denver, Dee became a member of PEO Chapter BB and began her 65-year service as a very active sister in PEO. While on the Colorado PEO State Board, Dee organized 6 separate new Chapters. In 1989, Dee served as Colorado State PEO President and then continued to serve PEO on multiple State Committees. Her most satisfying accomplishment was the Chairmanship of the 2003 History Committee that organized and published Marguerite Memories, the 100-year history of PEO in Colorado.

Dee was heavily involved in the Denver Area Cottey Club. In 2010 Dee was recognized by Cottey College for her over 40 years of support with the establishment of the Cordelia (Dee) Hodges Endowment Scholarship. This endowment currently has over $40,000 in funds.

In 1968, Dee became active in supporting American Field Service (AFS). In 1969, the family hosted Mario Nunez, from Santiago, Chile, in their home for the school year. This began a long-term relationship with Dee and Jim eventually hosting Mario’s sister, Maggie, niece, Paula and daughter, Maria Paz who graduated from Cottey College. This Chilean connection allowed Jim and Dee to tour South America with Mario. Mario would annually come to Denver to celebrate Dee’s birthday. Dee and Jim also brought Arge Pomar, a student from Columbia into their home. As before, the relationship has not faded, with Jim and Dee being parents and grandparents to Arge’s family.

Clay was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and after a courageous struggle, died in 1987. Clay is survived by his wife Mary Jean and son Christopher.

In 2016, Dee’s husband of 69 years passed away due to heart failure. In 2019 Dee moved into Balfour Senior Living with the loving support of Larry and Julie Gustafson and their family, until her death.

Dee is survived by son Gregg (Pat) Hodges in Red Lodge, MT, daughter Lael in Cincinnati, OH., grandchildren Virginia (Jeff) Carroll, Casey (Shannon) Hodges, Dawn Marie (Matt) Hutson, Marshal (Jamie) Kern, Christopher (Tiffany) Dicke, and 11 great grandchildren – Theresa and Sylvia Carroll, Ella, Amelia and Lucy Hodges, Millie Hutson, Haylie, Bentley and Sophia Kern, and Josephine and Georgia Dicke.

Dee’s family wishes to acknowledge the support and care from the staff at Balfour Senior Living, Terri McGovern and her team of caregivers, Dr David Leon and his staff and all of her PEO sisters in Colorado and Montana.

Funeral services will be at Horan and McConaty Mortuary in Lakewood, CO. on Tuesday, December 9 at 9 a.m. Burial services will be at Ft. Logan Cemetery at 11 a.m. followed by a luncheon at Horan and McConaty at 11:30.

Donations can be sent to:

The "Cordelia (Dee) Hodges Scholarship" fund at

Cottey College

Attn Office of Institutional Advancement

1000 West Austin Blvd

Nevada, MO 64772

Online giving can be done at: https://cottey.edu/give/online-gift/

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