Rock Hill, SC – Mrs. Marianna (“Anna”) Roper Hodge, 73, passed away on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, surrounded by loved ones.
Blessed with a servant’s heart, Anna devoted her life to caring for others. Her strong sense of fairness and justice was likely borne from the courthouse chronicles of her father, the late Judge James A.K. Roper, whom she adored. Drawn to the art of education, Anna earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from the University of Georgia in 1974. In 1976, she married her soulmate and began her career in education while caring for their four children.
From 1998 until her retirement in 2015, Anna was an impassioned teacher and IB coordinator in the Rock Hill School District. She was known to go to great lengths for her students and cared deeply for each of them. A major highlight in her career was collaboratively designing a beautiful butterfly garden for a fifth-grade project at Rosewood Elementary. Many shared in the creation of the garden and enjoyed its beauty.
After retirement, Anna enjoyed reading, caring for animals, and spoiling her six grandchildren. Anna was an active member of the York County Republican Women, the Republican Women Rising, the Reaganites, and the York County GOP, where she served as Secretary.
Much like the butterflies she loved, Anna navigated life with gentle composure. Peaceful yet engaging, she graced the world with beauty and emanated love. She will be deeply missed by the many lives she touched.
She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 47 years, Roy E. Hodge, Jr; her daughters, Kristina Hodge and Elizabeth Hodge; her sons, Timothy Hodge (Kimberly); and Patrick Hodge (Jubi), and her adoring grandchildren, Melanie, Lydia, Everett, Margaret, Remy, and Declan.
She is preceded in death by her parents, James Alester Kedrick Roper and Mary Ellen Bates Roper, and her son, James Andrew Pinckney Hodge.
A funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, July 6, 2023, at Westminster Park, the LivingWater Chapel, 4000 India Hook Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732. Following the funeral service, a gathering of family and friends is scheduled for 1:30 PM at Piedmont Medical Center, “Piedmont Women’s Center”. Food and beverages will be served.
In memory of Anna, we ask that donations be made to the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/ways-to-give), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/), or the Children’s Attention Home, Rock Hill, SC (https://attentionhome.org/give/). Condolences can be made at greenefuneralhome.net.