Maxine Crosskno Hodge

Maxine Crosskno Hodge of Blytheville passed peacefully at her home surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

Born in Blytheville on June 15, 1933, to the late Herman Melvin (Bill) and Ginny Lois Heflin Crosskno, Maxine grew up as a farmer’s daughter during the ‘Great Depression’ where hard work, responsibility and accountability were an expected way of life at an early age. As the oldest daughter and second oldest of 10 children, she learned how to cook standing on a chair, performed daily chores on the farm, and helped raise her younger siblings. Severely burned as a child when her clothes caught fire near a burning field, she barely survived third degree burns on the side of her body, as her dad nursed her back to health.

A 1951 graduate of Burdette High School, she initially worked for her father managing the bookkeeping and accounting for the growing family farm. Maxine worked in a number of administrative and secretarial roles throughout her adult life, including secretary to two heads of school in the Burdette and Blytheville School Systems. She was described as very professional and ran an “efficient” office. Maxine was also a member of Beta Sigma Phi Gamma Alpha Chapter, and the First Baptist Church of Blytheville.

She met the love of her life, Quincy N. Hodge of Blytheville, and married on Aug. 3, 1956. Their lives together were just getting started when Quincy was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army in 1957. Maxine began raising their first child during his two-year assignment in Germany as part of NATO peacekeeping forces. When he completed his enlistment and returned to the States, he accepted a position with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in July 1959. They continued to grow their family and had two more sons, moving from Blytheville to West Memphis, to Fayetteville, and eventually back to Blytheville during Quincy’s career with the telephone company. After adding more love and laughter and hard work, they successfully raised three young men who married and gave them grandchildren and great grandchildren. Maxine and Quincy’s love stood the tests of time for 51 years.

In addition to her parents, Maxine was preceded in death by her husband Quincy; brothers, Melvin, James, Clarence, Billy, Dennis; sister Rose; daughter-in-law Tammy Hodge; and loving caregiver Marta Conde of Blytheville.

She leaves two sisters, Helen Heathman of Fayetteville, Nora Crosskno of Little Rock, and brother, Harold Crosskno and his wife Kathy of Newhall, Calif. Maxine leaves her three sons, Michael Hodge and his wife Claudette of Sugar Land, Texas, Bryan Hodge and his wife Brenda of Blytheville, Stanley Hodge and his wife Jean of Southaven, Miss.; six grandchildren, Ryan Hodge and his wife Kayla of Richmond, Texas, Megan Hodge McCord and her husband Ian of Pryor, Okla., Ami Hopper and her husband Anthony of Blytheville, Victoria Starkey and her husband Ray of Blytheville, Frazier Hodge and Brody Hodge of Southaven, Miss.; five great-grandchildren, Andrew Hopper and Adam Hopper of Blytheville, Wyatt Hodge and Caroline Hodge of Richmond, Texas, and Sylvie McCord of Pryor, Okla.; and her loving caregivers, Alberta Anderson, Bridgette Burton and Teresa Palmore.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 20, at 11 a.m. in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Randy Jumper officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time at Cobb Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cobbfuneralhome.com.