Marian Hodge

Marian Eileen Hodge was born June 25, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois. She passed away July 18, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. She was 93 years old. She is preceded in death by her husband, Carl, son Gregory Hodge and daughter Mary Katherine (Michael) Smid. She is survived by children Stephen, Kenneth (Karen) and Timothy (Isabel) Hodge. Recitation of the Rosary will be held on Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 6:45pm at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 South Colorado Boulevard, Denver, Colorado. A Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 10:00am at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, 2250 South Harrison Street, Denver, Colorado. Burial will take place at 2:00pm at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 South Sheridan Boulevard, Denver, Colorado. Please share condolences with the family by signing the guestbook below. Marian Oldest Child of Edward Marik, an anti-clerical Bohemian and Marie Zatopa, a devout Catholic Bohemian, Sister of Mildred, current resident of Glendale AZ, Preceded in death by her brother Edward. Marian had two basic themes through her life: She was devoted to God and she loved people (especially family) and was happiest when surrounded by children and grandchildren Marian grew up in Berwyn, a suburb of Chicago, and graduated from Morton HS in Berwyn. She was life-long friends with her High School and College classmates, most of whom preceded her in death. She learned Bohemian by listening to her parents discussing adult matters. It did not take Ed and Mae long to realize their very bright daughter was listening to their conversations. And the ""lessons"" ended. Marian went to the University of Wisconsin (GO BADGERS!) where, a woman ahead of her time, she was a jock who earned a Phys Ed degree. As part of her degree, she fenced, skied, swam (the coach wanted her to join the swim team because she had such a beautiful stroke but, it turned out, she was not fast), played tennis, and so on. She sang in the choir but, when the choirmaster wanted her to sing solo, she froze during the audition. She had a lifelong love of classical music starting with the overture from the opera Thieving Magpie and Capriccio Italien. Of course she watched Lawrence Welk (and all her children, as good Czechs, could polka and waltz). She later developed an appreciation for the Czech masters, Smetana, Dvorak (with whom her great grandfather used to take walks in the streets of Prague). Marian's father, who would not have approved of his daughter being a Catholic, drove up one Sunday morning to check on her. It so happened that she had altered her schedule that day and he did not see her going to Mass. It would have been the end of her UW education as he would have insisted that she live at home and finish college near there. Marian became a Physical Therapist and worked for the Army after the war (not as a member of the military). One of her fellow PT's introduced her to Carl and they enjoyed each others' company. She told him that she would not marry a non-Catholic. Carl, unknown to her, proceeded to get training from a priest and got baptized. He surprised her with the news and they got married. He, by the way, learned his religion quite well. After they were married he took her to meet his family. Marian's visit to SE Kansas was a shock. She had grown up in a city in a nice house (her father did well during the depression) and a dirt floor was too much for her. It became clear why Carl insisted on getting married before meeting his family. Carl had promised her a house with running water in Colorado (which, he said, may be just a cabin over a creek). Marian and Carl had five children: Gregory, who put anything in his mouth (staples, cigarette butts found on the ground, and so forth; as an adult, cigarettes and coffee beans). He was first in the family to die. Stephen, accident prone from childhood to today (nothing this year, yet). Kenneth, her biggest disappointment...she wanted a red-headed child (a recessive gene in our family). I was to be that child. I could only produce a red beard. Mary Katherine, her only daughter. She was supposed to be in charge of Mom but left me in charge 3 years ago (which neither of us wanted). Timothy, a special gift from God, 7 years after Kathy. Marian and Carl raised their family in a happy, holy, prayerful home. An evening rosary was common (with Carl rattling off the first half of the prayers so quickly that we were not entirely sure how the Our Father and Hail Mary actually went). We all graduated from college with post-graduate work (except for Greg who ran off and joined the Navy and did not attend college until after returning from the sea). Three of the boys received at least some of their education in the seminary. Marian actively built friendships throughout our childhoods, joining such charity clubs as the Legion of Mary, co-founding its successor the Marthas, organizing the Parish blood drive, and, of course, joining parish bridge clubs, including one in a cross-town parish in Wheat Ridge where Carl and Marian started their life. She readily volunteered in school activities, a necessity in a parish with many large families. Marian considered her life complete after Tim left CU. God, of course, loves his children too much to take away Marian from them early, so she continued to be active, working as a Physical Therapist, volunteering, making new friends, playing bridge, and, as always, making the effort to be with her children and grandchildren. Steve gave her Sonseeahray, with two great grandsons, Alessandro and Giovanni, and Audra, with Sapphire and Autumn, and a step-granddaughter, Emily. Kathy gave her Lisa, with Lydia, Ambrose, and Blaise, and Julie. Tim gave her twin grand daughters, Paula and Maria. Marian brought her widowed mother to live with us as the kids were moving out (not necessarily permanently...she always liked having us around and was always ready to help us when we were transitioning) as Grandma's circle of friends started shrinking. She brought Greg home for his final months (after Grandma had died). She offered her husband to God as his mind and body failed him. She opened her house to Tim's brothers for World Youth Days. Marian loved baseball. As a child, she and her cousin took the El to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs. After leaving Chicago, she was still a Cubs fan but readily would pull off the street to watch a sandlot game. When the Rockies came to town she became a solid Rockies fan. One of the special gifts I was able to give Mom in her later years was spring training trips (and a visit with her sister). As her health and mind faded, she would excitedly relate her single trip to the ballpark for an entire season. Days before God called her home, the Nursing Home activities director had been talking baseball with her. As befits a loyal friend of Jesus' Mother, Marian was called home in her sleep early Monday morning at 6:00 after 93 full, blessed years.