Barbara Jane Craig Hodges

Barbara was an educator who loved kids, loved her immediate and her extended family, and closely followed politics and all sports, especially KU basketball and K-State football. She was born Oct. 28, 1935 in Seminole, OK to Theodore and Dorothy Craig and passed away on Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 at a Topeka hospital. Peabody, KS was her home from age 5 and she graduated from Peabody High School in 1953. She married Patrick Hodges, a high school classmate, and with him had three children (Nancy, Rick & Dorry) before they divorced. Barbara resumed her education graduating from Emporia State University with an education degree and later completed her master's degree also at ESU in primary education. In 1964 she moved with her children to Lincoln, KS where she taught for 5 years before moving to Topeka in 1969 to begin her 37 year tenure with the Topeka schools. The most satisfying part of her teaching career was when she served as Principal for the Head Start Program where she had a passion for the children, their families, and the Head Start staff. Barbara was active in national Head Start programs attending conferences, serving on committees, and participating in reviews of other Head Start programs around the country. She also owned and operated Rainbow Resources in Topeka offering post-graduate training for elementary teachers. Barbara belonged to KNEA, NAACP, and First Congregational Church.

She leaves her three children Nancy McDonald, Rick Hodges (Vickie Marlatt), and Dorry Olsen; six grandchildren, Stacy Alonzo (Jason Spence), Brianna Russell (Matt), Johnathan Olsen, Kellie Olsen, Kayla Harmon, and Emily Olsen; and three great-grandchildren, Jensen Spence, Zela Spence, and Levi Olsen, a brother David Craig (Virginia), a sister Susan Craig, and a large family of cousins for whom Barbara served as the unofficial documentarian.

A visitation will be on Tuesday Jan. 23 from 6-7:30pm at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel, 1321 SW 10th Ave, Topeka and the funeral service will be at 11am on Wednesday Jan. 24 also at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel. Graveside committal services will follow that afternoon in Prairie Lawn Cemetery Peabody, KS.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Peabody Community Foundation (218 N. Walnut Street, Peabody, KS 66866; admin@peabodycommunityfoundation.org) or a charity of your choice in Barbara's name.

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