Carol Lorraine (Clark) Hodgson

Carol Lorraine (Clark) Hodgson passed away April 12, 2010, at home in the arms of her loving family. She was born in 1925, in Lodgepole S.D., to LD and Merle (Nash) Clark. At a young age, Carol was profoundly influenced to become a nurse when her baby brother became extremely ill. She moved with her family to Whitefish in 1935 where she learned to drive tractor, milk cows and plant gardens, preserve the harvest and sew her own clothes. She is a graduate of Flathead County High School where she met the love of her life, Bill Hodgson. She graduated from Montana State University where she is a member of the Alpha Tau Delta nursing sorority. She and Bill were married in the Cathedral of Saint Anne in Great Falls and later moved to Bozeman where they had three daughters, Helen, Ann and Rita Jean. They moved to Pullman, Wash., where they had one son, Bill. They moved to Richland, Wash., in 1951 where they had a son, Bob, and a daughter, Carol Marie. Carol moved to Kalispell to be near family at the birth of twin daughters, Sharon and Susan, while Bill was on assignment for GE in Philadelphia. Bill and Carol moved back to Richland and had three daughters, Judy, Lisa and Jill, and two sons, Mark and George Brian. When all her children were in school or on their own, Carol returned to nursing as an OB nurse at Kadlec Hospital in Richland. She retired as night shift nurse supervisor after 25 years of service. Carol was always interested in home economy, grew her own vegetables and fruit, taught her children to garden, helped her daughters learn to sew, took painting, cake decorating, and millenary (hat-making) classes with daughters and granddaughters, and encouraged education of all kinds. She loved to attend football games, track meets, soccer and swim meets. She traveled to France in 1992 to watch her grandson bobsled in the Winter Olympics. Carol is survived by her husband, Bill; 11 children, 26 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren. Also surviving her locally are her brother, Bud Clark, and wife, Pat; sisters, Phyllis Claridge, Rita White and husband Herb, and Karen Obermayer and husband Bill, all of Kalispell. She was preceded in death by her father, mother and two sons. Her memorial Mass was celebrated at Christ the King Church in Richland on Friday, April 16.