Margaret A. Hodge

A funeral service for Margaret Ann (Swanson) Hodge will be held on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the Holdrege Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska, with Reverend Dr. W. Kirwin Stewart, Jr. officiating.

Interment will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Orleans Cemetery, Orleans, Nebraska.

Margaret Ann (Swanson) Hodge, 102 years of age, of Holdrege, died on Monday, August 28, 2023, at the Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege.  Margaret was born on July 12, 1921, on a hot summer day (her mom would always tell her) in Holdrege, the second of eight children born to Olaf Sigfred and Alma E. (Glansberg) Swanson.  She was baptized on the November 27, 1924, at the Evangelical Mission Church. She received her primary education from Harmony School, southeast of Holdrege, and Graft School in Harlan County. She then attended and graduated from Atlanta High School in May 18, 1938. Margaret was very proud to have attended 12 years of school with zero absences!

After high school, she did housework for several families. On July 14, 1939, Margaret was united in marriage to Everett "Bub" Hodge in Norton, Kansas. Together, they engaged in farming northeast of Orleans. They picked corn by hand, and cut wheat. She always finished field work before Bub and would wait at the end of the field until he was done. She would let him head home first, and then would pass him on the way home, giving him a big wave and smile as she went by!

In 1967, the couple retired and moved to Holdrege. They enjoyed fishing and playing cards. When Bub's health began to decline, she was a devoted caretaker until his passing in March 21, 1981. Margaret then began working at Phelps Memorial Health Center in the laundry department for 15 years. In April of 2018, she began to make her home at Holdrege Memorial Homes.

Margaret was a wonderful cook and baker and was excellent at embroidery work and sewing. She enjoyed gardening and always had a beautiful flower garden. She still mowed her yard well into her 90's because she wanted the exercise! Margaret also wrote and submitted the poem, "Life" in 1987 and received an Honorable Mention in the World of Poetry.

She was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege for over 73 years. She was also involved with the Methodist Women's Group, and the Hard Times Club. Her Swedish heritage was very important to her and she was a longtime member of the Tre Kronor Scandinavian Society.

Although Margaret and Bub never had children of their own, she was always the matriarch of the family and loved her nieces and nephews like her own.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Everett "Bub" in 1981;  her brothers: Howard and wife, Floreen; Warran and wives, Mary and Pat; Rodney; and Donald and wife, Verna; her sisters:  Lois Ernst and husband, Bud; Dorothy; and baby girl Swanson; nephews, Dick Ernst, Stuart Swanson, and Mark Swanson; niece, Sandra Cummins; and great-nephews, Cody Cummins, and David Chandler.

She leaves to celebrate her life, her sister-in-law, RoseAnn Swanson of Holdrege; many nieces and nephews:  Larry Ernst of Hastings, Nebraska; Jerry and Jan Swanson of Norman, Oklahoma; Barbara and JD McClung of Midwest City, Oklahoma; Jeff and Denice Swanson of Oxford, Nebraska; Brad and Jana Swanson of Manhattan, Kansas; Greg and Connie Swanson of Holdrege; Kelly and Barb Swanson of Alma, Nebraska; Cindy and Gary Wilken of Bertrand, Nebraska; Linda and Ted Minarick of Morse Bluff, Nebraska; Rory and Mary Swanson of Manhattan, Kansas; Angela Swanson; and Lana and Roger Chandler of Loomis, Nebraska; along with many great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, and great-great-nephews, extended family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 4, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial can be made in Margaret's honor and kindly suggested to the Tre Kronor Society.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.