Mark Wayne Hodgson, 52, of Cleveland, TN, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, August 19, 2014, surrounded by his beloved family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Laurence Pugh and Helen Louise Pugh; and his paternal grandparents, Jacob Hodgson and Edith Hodgson Whitaker.
Mark was born on November 29, 1961 in Akron, OH. His family moved to Kingsport, TN during his sophomore year of high school. He then went on to attend and graduate from ETSU. For 17 years, he was a Manager for US Airways in several cities until making Cleveland, TN his home and becoming the owner/operator of Chick-fil-A at Keith Street in 2000.
Mark was devoted in every aspect of his life. He served his community in many ways as a business owner, community leader, and humanitarian being led the entire time by His Lord and the servant's heart he was blessed with. He was a man that lived life to the fullest and took every opportunity to love and serve the people he came into contact with.
Mark was an incredibly family oriented man who did everything he could to make sure that he was leading them in the direction that God saw as fitting. This was evident through the mission statement that he and his family created : "We will trust the Lord with all our hearts. We will seek His wisdom daily and acknowledge Him in our lives with our speech and actions. We know when we place our lives in His hands, He will shape our future for His glory."
The common thread throughout Mark's lifetime was that he loved big and served well, making the most of every opportunity. He measured success not by what he received, but by what he gave.
Mark is survived by his wife, Jymme Ann Hodgson; his three sons, Jack Dye, Jacob Hodgson and John David Dye; his parents, Don and Sandra Hodgson; his brother, Brian Hodgson; his sister, Lisa Sullivan; and many other beloved extended family members.
A celebration of life service is set for Sunday, August 24 at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church, located at 1275 Stuart Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312. Rev. Steve Morgan and Rev. Rusty Asble will be officiating. There will be a private burial to follow. Brian Hodgson, Terry O'Neal, Lee Cigliano, Garry Rodgers, David Cornell, and Bartlee Norton will be serving as pallbearers. Mark's Cleveland Chick-fil-A team members will be serving as honorary pallbearers.
The family will be receiving friends prior to the service from 2-5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Manna Ministry at Mark's home church, First Baptist Church of Cleveland or to the building fund at Indian Springs Baptist Church, 325 Hill Road, Kingsport, TN 37664.
Companion Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.