Evelyn HodgsonEvelyn Gladys Hodgson, 95, passed away on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. She was born on June 2, 1922, the older of two children, at the family home in Esmond, SD to Hazel (Girch), teacher and homemaker, and William J. Wilkens, banker and Federal Land Bank appraiser. The family moved to Brookings in 1938 where she attended high school and SDSU, graduating with a degree in Home Economics Education in 1943. She taught at Miller High School until December, 1943, when she married Merlin G.Hodgson, Lt. US Army, and moved with him to Ft. Benning,Georgia. After Merlin was wounded in France in WWII and recovered in Texas, they returned to SD in 1945. He joined the SD Extension Service, living in Spearfish and Brookings, and in 1949 he became State 4-H Club Leader. In 1953 they moved to the Hodgson family farm at Wessington Springs where they farmed until 1961, when he became the Beadle Co. Extension Agent in Huron, SD. He died of cancer in 1966 at age 45. Evelyn was employed by the SD Conference of the United Church of Christ for 22 years and in 1969 moved to Sioux Falls, where she retired. In 2001 she sold her home and moved to Dow Rummel Village. During her life she was active in community and church activities serving as a 4-H Club Leader, Sunday School teacher, hospital volunteer, and member of the Ladies Aid, the Sioux Falls Rose Club, and Chapter BY, PEO. Evelyn was also a lifelong member of First Congregational Church, UCC. Gardening, knitting, sewing, cooking and piano playing were some of her lifelong interests. Left to cherish her memory are her four children: Betsy Wiltz (Roger) of Wagner, SD, Joyce Krsnak of Sioux Falls, SD, Don Hodgson (Merryl) of Cumberland, ME, and Alan Hodgson (Brenda) of Sioux Falls, SD; 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, and her brother, Robert Wilkens. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 1:00 pm in the Halladay-Peterson Chapel at Dow Rummel, 1310 W. Madison St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104. A visitation with family present will take place on Friday, October 13, 2017 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Heritage Funeral Home, 4800 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57108. A private interment will be in Restlawn Memory Gardens at Huron, SD at a later time. Her family would like to thank the staff of Dow Rummel for their loving care over the past 16 years. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Dow Rummel Village Foundation, 1321 Dow Rummel St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104 or The Mary Jo Wagner Arboretum, 1900 S. Perry Pl., Sioux Falls, SD 57110 www.heritagesfsd.com