Wesley Mortimer "Bobe" Hodges

Wesley Mortimer “Bobe” Hodges was born in Walker, Arkansas on January 16, 1908 to James Samuel Hodges and Mary Irene (Arnold) Hodges.  Wesley was the youngest of 5 children born to this couple, eventually becoming 1 of 16 of his father’s children.  Sadly, Wesley’s mother Mary passed away when he was just 2 years old.  Wesley’s parents moved to Arkansas from Missouri for a short period of time during which Wesley was born.  The family decided that “northerners were not welcome in Arkansas”, and after about a 1 ½ to 2 years, the family removed from Arkansas back into Missouri. After the death of his mother Mary, his father James married his aunt Minnie (his mother’s sister) until she died when Wesley was 4 years old. The following year when he was 5 years old, his father James remarried, his new step mother was another aunt, Emma (his mother’s sister).  When Wesley was 21 years old, he married Bertha Evelyn Stacy, the daughter of Virgil Lawson Stacy and Sybilla (Welter) Stacy in Sikeston, Missouri on May 2, 1929.  Shortly after the nuptials, the couple moved to Rock Island, Illinois where Wesley became employed by the International Harvester Company. Bertha was employed by a company that made men’s rubber footwear.  During the depression, Wesley was laid off from his job and the couple returned to Missouri.  Upon their return from Illinois, the couple lived with Bertha’s family for a short time before moving to his father’s farm on Salcedo Road.  Two sons, James W. and Harold L. Hodges were born on that farm.  The family moved to one of the Tanner Farms on Tanner Road in 1936, where Dale W. Hodges was born. They lived in a smaller home on the Tanner Farm while the main house was being built.  The builder of the house lived in the grainery and his meals were furnished by Bertha.  At times, Wesley helped build the main house. 

In addition to farming crops, Wesley operated a dairy for a short time.  In 1950 he began farming on the E.M. Thrash Farm on Highway 61, just south of Sikeston, Missouri.  While living in this community, he became a member of the Little Vine General Baptist church and served as a deacon for many years until the church closed its doors. 

Wesley retired in January 1981, he and his wife Bertha moved to 929 Crescent in Sikeston, Missouri and lived there until a tornado severely damaged their home.  The couple purchased a home on 208 Gilmore, in Minor, Missouri where Wesley resided until he entered the Sells Nursing Home in Matthews, Missouri on September 8, 1992. The couple was married for 66 years until Wesley passed away on September 11, 1995 at Sells Nursing Home.  This union produced 3 children.  He is buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston, Missouri next to his bride Bertha.  Their headstone inscription reads “Together Forever”           

Children of Wesley and Bertha:

James W. Hodges

Harold Lee Hodges 1935-       

Dale W. Hodges

Wesley and Bertha Hodges Grave Marker

Source: Biography written by Debbie West

Information from Yesterday and Today, The Family of James Samuel Hodges, Sr.

Compiled by Ruth Hodges McGregor and Harold Lee Hodges, Winter 1999

Headstone picture by Find A Grave Memorial# 61523159 created by Sondra Jones Wills

* You may leave virtual flowers for this couple at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61523159