Roxanna Marie Hodges

REMEMBERING ROXIE

Roxie was born on June 15, 1944 in Los Angeles, California as the second daughter of Lillian and Albert Stephens. Her sister Linda was 21 mos. older and Susan the baby of the family was 5 years younger.

She attended George Washington High School and graduated in 1962. In her senior year, she was named the “Fastest Hand on Earth”, and she received a trophy for her unmatched speed at Shorthand and Typing.

As little girls, Linda, Roxie and Susan often dressed alike and were inseparable. They were also very close to their cousins. On one occasion, the girls were visiting their cousin Albert at Aunt Marie’s house and Roxie and Linda didn’t want to leave, they wanted to spend the night. The kids didn’t take no for an answer and so Albert, Linda and Roxie hid for so long that Lillian and Marie got worried and ended up calling the police on them.

As they grew up, Linda was always the most outgoing and fearless of the three. Their mother said Linda was born talking and never stopped. She was the mischief maker, often pulling Roxie into her shenanigans. She made Roxie do things she wouldn’t have done on her own. Susan was much younger and she was left out at times because they didn’t want their “little sister” tagging along. Roxie was very shy, the opposite of Linda. Linda would force Roxie to go out on double dates with her. She “told” her she WAS going and to be ready to leave. She didn’t give her a choice. The boys liked Roxie and always wanted Linda to set them up with her pretty sister. Their parents approved because they were protective and felt like Roxie would keep Linda from getting into trouble.

On one such date, Linda made Roxie go out with Ted. They went to the Pike in Long Beach. As they rode the Roller Coaster, Ted wanted to kiss Roxie and he thought she had fainted because she was so scared; of his kiss or the roller coaster or both.

One time Roxie went with Linda and Phil to Lake Tahoe to stay in the Currie cabin. Linda and Roy Fletcher, took Roxie out on his speed boat. As they were going through the break water Roxie said how nice it was, not knowing what Linda knew was coming. When they passed the buoys, Roy gunned the boat and about knocked Roxie out as she was screaming her head off. Of course, Linda and Roy cracked up.

Linda, Roxie and Susan were always extremely close. They did everything together. They traveled, shopped, took weekend trips to Vegas, even trips to the post office and grocery store. When they shopped they often picked up the same items to show each other. They also bought each other the same greeting cards. Obviously, they had the same taste in everything. In 2002, they moved to Riverside, buying houses on the same Street, along with their mom. To say they were close is an understatement.

In about 1966, Clay Hodges was introduced to Roxie by Kay Adley, a realtor who worked for her father. At the time Roxie met Clay, he was an amateur boxer who was planning to go professional. They dated for 9 years, but she refused to marry him while he was still boxing, because it was such a rough sport. Clay was crazy over Roxie so he agreed to quit boxing so he could finally marry her.

On December 20, 1975, Roxie married Clay. The small and beautiful wedding took place in her sister Linda’s backyard. Clay worshipped the ground Roxie walked on. When she returned from short weekends away with her mom and sisters, he would always have a dozen red roses and chocolates waiting for her. Clay would often comment to Linda or Susan, when Roxie was out of ear shot, about how lucky he was to have Roxie as his wife and how beautiful she was. He would often say “Isn’t she pretty?”

Roxie and Clay were married for 49 years when Clay passed in January 2025 after many years of suffering from Alzheimers. Roxie was always very devoted to Clay. When he went to live in assisted living and then memory care, she never missed a day visiting, spending hours a day with him. He was her priority.

When a twenty-something year old Roxie visited Hawaii with her best friend Patti, they were unfortunately in an elevator that fell several stories. From that point on, and for the rest of her life, Roxie was afraid of elevators, avoiding them as much as possible. She also would not fly on an airplane.

Years after their dad died, mom and the girls traveled all over the world. They cruised Transatlantic on the QE2 touring all over Europe, including Norway, Denmark, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Tahiti, and Portugal, just to name a few, making many memories along the way. They traveled by train, bus, cruise ship and automobile, but never by plane and yet they managed to travel all over the world.

The girls and their mom loved to visit Pechenga Casino. You could usually find them at the slot machines, while Clay left them to play poker. Winning or losing, they always had fun. Late lunch at the coffee shop Kelsey’s and then a midnight snack, or dinner at the Great Oaks Steak House.

Roxie was very protective of those she loved and always defended her family. One time when Roxie was shopping at the Pennisula in Palos Verdes with her mom, the clerk noted after looking at Lillian’s driver’s license that she was a “crab”. Roxie was offended by that comment and let the clerk know in no uncertain terms that her mother was not a CRAB until it was explained that she was referring to her astrological sign. She was a cancer the “crab”… LOL

Linda’s husband Ray gave Roxie a nickname “Bokie” and it stuck. One time she dipped her donut in gravy left on her plate and Ray made sure she never lived that down. Bringing it up over and over again, how Roxie likes her donuts with gravy. Roxie would reply, “it was that one time”.

One day Roxie got onto a minibike and road it around until she realized she didn’t know how to stop. She ran into the bushes to stop it while everyone watched on. Thank God she wasn’t hurt, but she created a hysterical scene talked about for years.

As mentioned, Roxie was very smart, picked up things quickly and she could type really fast. She worked for her father at his real estate office in Gardena as his secretary and never left. It was her only professional job. The office was below the home they lived in. To go to work, they walked downstairs. It was a very short commute. Lillian would make them lunch each day and they would join her upstairs.

If you were lucky enough to know Roxie, you know she was sweet, there was no one sweeter. She never uttered a cuss word in her life. She was kind and caring and pure-hearted. She loved her family. She never had any children of her own, so she loved her nieces and nephews and showered them with her attention. She was generous with her time and money, giving to over fifteen charities. She never missed any holiday, birthday, family party or celebration. Family was always her priority and we have made so many happy memories along the way. Roxie loved Jesus and even in her last days we often witnessed her hands folded as she prayed. We visited with her, sang to her, prayed over her and poured out our love for her. She knew she was loved.

In the last year of her life, Roxie needed a lot of assistance and Susan and Bob were there for her in every way. Shopping for her, taking her to visit Clay, or to the bank, taking out her trash, helping her manage her finances and more, making sure she had everything she needed. After a terrible fall, Linda was seriously injured and wasn’t able to get around as easily, but she also did what she could to help Roxie and support Susan. The girls spoke every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Never were three sisters closer.

It is really hard to believe that Roxie is no longer with us. We lost an angel on November 24th. We miss her every day. It is especially hard for her sisters, Linda and Susan. She went to be with her beloved Savior Jesus. She is celebrating with her mom and dad. We are saddened because she is no longer with us in person, but we know we will see her again.