Thomas 'Tom' Goodwillie Hodges, Jr.
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Thomas Goodwillie Hodges, Jr., 50, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the beloved husband of 21 years to Jennifer Perkins Hodges and devoted father to Alex, Zoe, and Wyatt, passed away peacefully Saturday, April 5, 2025, surrounded by his family and friends.
Tom was born on August 12, 1974, and grew up in the mountains of Southwest Virginia in the town of Wytheville. He was the son of the late Thomas Goodwillie Hodges, and Mary Austin Hughes.
In 1992, Tom graduated from Virginia Episcopal School where he served on the honor committee, was a member of the counselor body, was captain and quarterback of the football team as well as captain of both basketball and lacrosse teams. Tom then attended Hampden Sydney College where he played lacrosse and was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. He graduated in 1996. After college, Tom helped open California Waste Services, a recycling business in Los Angeles. It was in California that Tom and Jenn formed their abiding and joyous relationship. They were married in an extraordinary celebration on the water in Virginia Beach on May 1, 2004, surrounded, as always, by their many friends and family.
Always open to adventure and opportunity, Tom and Jenn moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 2005 where they found their true home, lifelong friends and community and where they created a beautiful life and family. Tom joined the Peninsula Company where he was in the building and real estate business. The core of Tom’s great success in business and life was his open-hearted approach to all, knowing that relationships and kindness were the keys to every endeavor. In his deep, raspy, passionate voice he shared that lesson with his children, his family, his players, his friends and his partners.
This enthusiastic, open-hearted passion for life was expressed in Tom’s love for sports, music and storytelling. He was active in the community, coaching youth soccer, football and basketball for many years. His understanding and enthusiasm for the game will be deeply missed by family, especially during games on Thanksgiving. It was in Tom and Jenn’s love for music, however, that you could really see Tom’s embrace of life. Tom and Jenn shared an adventuresome spirit which led them around the country attending festivals and concerts, open to the transformation given by the music that they loved.
Tom’s deep love for life and for others and for Widespread Panic is captured in the song, Ain’t Life Grand:
The sun came out the other day
Through those dusty clouds
And in my mind, I was a child
And it felt good!
Ain’t life grand
Tom’s life was grand. He is survived by his wife Jennifer, eldest son Alexander Goodwillie (18), daughter, Zoe Elizabeth (15) and son William Wyatt Hodges (9) (and their lovely pups). He also leaves his mother Mary Hughes Hodges, his two sisters Mary {Mike) George and Laura {Adam) Long and six nieces and nephews, Brock, Cole, Austin, Eliza, Olivia, and Hodges. He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Goodwillie, Hodges,
Tom’s service of celebration of life will be held at St Andrews church, 440 Whilden Street, Mt Pleasant, April 11th at 11am and reception will follow at Uptown Social downtown on King Street. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to Compassionate Care ALS, CCALS.org. The family will be forever grateful to all the caregivers the community, and loyal friends, that lovingly cared for Sweet T throughout his heroic battle with ALS.
Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. – Mt. Pleasant Chapel.