Thomas James Hodges

Thomas James Hodges, 76, of St. John, Kansas, passed away surrounded by family on January 12, 2026.

Tom was born in Pratt, Kansas, on June 3, 1949, to James Richard Hodges and Ruth Adeline Swindler (Post), and they later moved to Gillette, Wyo., where he grew up for part of his life and attended the first part of high school. Tom was on the state championship-winning Campbell County High School Camels basketball team in 1966. He graduated from Stafford Senior High School in Kansas with honors in 1967. Tom was set to ship out to Vietnam when he was 18, but a car accident kept him from being deployed. Instead, he found work as part of a custom cutting crew traveling between Brownsville, Texas, to Billings, Mont., and back before becoming a farmer in Stafford and passing his time on the golf course, becoming an accomplished golfer. One of his golfing buddies introduced him to the woman who would become his wife, Cheryl McLean, and they were married in 1983. They had three sons, Clayton, Taylor, and Jacob, but later divorced in 1993.

Tom then became the superintendent of Stafford County Country Club and took pride in caring for the golf course, as well as playing it, boasting 7 holes-in-one throughout his career. He often said he could beat Tiger as long as it was on his course and by his rules: one beer per hole.

In the subsequent years, Tom was an avid follower of all sports. From local high school sports teams to KU basketball, to watching his beloved Dodgers win two World Series in recent years. He was adamant that his social obligations needed to be wrapped up before game time.

Tom found purpose as a very involved and passionate member of the Internal Order of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), where he was a member of St. John Lodge #539, Pratt Lodge #248, Valley Lodge #95, Martha Rebekah Lodge #245, Pratt Encampment #98, and Central Kansas Canton #21- PM. This organization kept him busy and traveling the country throughout the rest of his life.

He was a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, Past Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Kansas, Past Grand Scribe of the Grand Encampment of Kansas, Past Adjutant of the Department Council of Kansas, and Past Commander of the Department Council of Kansas.

He was the current Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Kansas, Grand Representative to Sovereign Grand Lodge for the Grand Encampment of Kansas, and Chairman of the Constitutions Committee of the Sovereign Grand Lodge, I.O.O.F. He was also recently honored with the Merit Award and the Meritorious Service Jewel.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, James Richard Hodges and Ruth Adeline Post; siblings, Lafe D. “Dean” Poe of Borger, Texas, and Cheryl R. (Poe) Baldwin of Sanford, Texas; and granddaughter, Jocelynn Rae Hodges of Berryton.

He is survived by his siblings Terry Hodges of Tenino, Wash., Todd Hodges of Puyallup, Wash., Sandy Odle of St. John, Tammy Poe of El Dorado, and Angel Fasulo of Zurich; as well as his sons Clayton Hodges (Hillary) of Shawnee, Taylor Hodges (Melissa) of Berryton, and Jacob Hodges of Lawrence; and his granddaughter, Izabell Mae Hodges of Berryton.

A Memorial Service will be held January 30, 2026, at the I.O.O.F. Lodge #539 in St. John, Kansas, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Tom’s name may be directed to the Ministerial Alliance for the St. John Food Bank at: Ministerial Alliance, c/o Zeb Carter, P.O. Box 213, St John, KS 67576.