Longtime Charleston Fire Chief Kevin Hodges died Sunday afternoon after an extended hospitalization.
He was 52.
Hodges had been in the intensive care unit of Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, where he underwent treatment for flu, pneumonia, adult RSV and complications of asthma, noted family members, who said he passed peacefully.
Hodges was chief of the Charleston Fire Department for 20 years, but he had been a volunteer with the department for about 36 years.
He also served in many other volunteer capacities within the community.
Hodges, who for many years was employed with the city of Charleston, most recently had been working as gas superintendent for the city of Batesville.
He was a familiar face at many events in the area, serving as a cook for numerous community fundraising activities, coaching softball for the Tallahatchie Youth League, and volunteering time for the local Boys & Girls Club, to name a few.
Through the fire department, he was for many years instrumental in helping to organize the Charleston Christmas parade and in conducting fundraisers such as roadblocks to benefit the American Cancer Society.
A certified part-time law enforcement and reserve officer, he had worked for the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office for over 25 years.
Over the years, he could be seen working security at ballgames, county fairs, the Gateway to the Delta Festival and at many other events.
In 2021, the Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort and the Gateway to the Delta Committee honored Hodges as “Hometown Hero” during that year’s Gateway to the Delta Festival.
In dozens of social media posts expressing condolences to family and offering tributes this week, people wrote about Hodges’ selflessness, kindness, generosity and willingness to serve in any role where a need existed.
Funeral services were scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Charleston. The full obituary is here.
