Sheila Hodges

Sheila Hodges was born in 1960 the seventh child of Virginia and Harold Hodges.  She was born at home and showed a preference for ‘home’ her entire life.

Sheila was a member of the Delaware Valley Gymnastics team and graduated in 1978.  She earned her BS at Penn State University and her Masters at SUNY, New Paltz.

A lover of all things nature and outdoors activities. She loving swimming, rafting down the Delaware, fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching, Scuba diving, teaching others of all ages about the biology of things and trying new adventures.  She was an incredible planner and would orchestrate group adventures for family, friends and students.

She worked at fabulously interesting jobs such as an archeological dig in lower Manhattan, she worked for the Park Service at Pinchot Institute and often performed as ‘Woodsy the Owl’.   She worked as an environmental specialist for a private engineering firm.  A master gardener and one of five educators across the nation published in a book Community Connections for Science Education.  She was voted 1997 Conservation Educator of the Year.   She was a Biology teacher at Delaware Valley High School for 22.5 years until she suffered a fall at school and had to retire due to back injury.  She and her longtime partner Jason Van Patten were planning to retire to Florida.

She loved teaching biology and environmental science and ran the Environmental Club for many years taking her students to statewide Envirothons where they earned many honors.  She formed a special connection with her students and had many who, after their graduation, had remarked that she changed their lives.

With her own time and money, she created a unique environmental habitat in an unused area of DVHS including a pond and waterfall and multiple plant and bird habitats that Sheila and her students maintained year round. The space was featured in local and national news and part of the Pike County ’Secret Garden Tour’.

Sheila is survived by her father, Harold Hodges and four of her siblings.  She is also survived by several special cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews too numerous to count.  They will remember as ‘their passionate environmentally -conscious aunt’ who always had snacks for them on their outdoor adventures.  

The services will be private.  A tree planting memorial service will be held in the spring, the date to be announced.

In lieu of flowers please donate in Sheila Hodges name at the Pocono Environmental Center (PEEC)at www.PEEC.org at the ‘Friends of PEEC Donate Button’ on the home page or by mail at:

PEEC
538 Emery Road
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

WE LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS YOU, TROLL!