Mildred Clifton Hodges passed away peacefully, Thursday morning, October 29, 2026.

Mickie was born at home on April 26, 1934. She was the last surviving sibling of the Clifton family of Bulloch County, Georgia.

Mickie is predeceased by her parents, William Bulloch Clifton and Ruth Daughtry; as well as two brothers, Fred and Billy Clifton; and one sister, Erma Guinnette.

In Atlanta, she met and married her husband, William Lamar "Bill" Hodges.

Mickie is survived by her daughter, Judith "Judy" Hodges Vlass; and husband, John James Vlass II; grandson, John James "Tripp" Vlass III; and wife, Maggie; granddaughter, Katherine "Katie" Vlass Edwards, and husband, Charlie; great-grandchildren, Paisley Ann Vlass, Riley Charles Edwards, Fisher James Vlass and Easton Knox Edwards.

Mickie was a member of the Beta Club and graduated with honors from Brooklet High School. She loved playing basketball and was invited to participate in the first North vs. South girls' high school basketball tournament in Atlanta.

Her hard work ethic helped her attain good jobs, first at Allstate, then later at Western Electric, where she retired after 32 years of service.

While at Western Electric, she worked full-time and attended Brenau College, majoring in Business Administration. She graduated in 1985, magna cum laude, and was a member of Phi Beta Sigma and made the National Dean’s List.

Her biography was published in the 7th annual edition of The National Dean’s list 1983/1984.

She received honorable mention and made All-American in the National AAU tournament at St. Joseph, Missouri. She continued to play basketball and later fast pitch softball for the “Tomboys” team. She played nine years on the Tomboys throughout the U.S., as well as Mexico (1960) and Cuba (1954 and 1956).

Mickie was a faithful fan of the Atlanta Braves and the Falcons, but especially the GSU football team. She had seats on the 50-yard line until she was unable to physically access them. You could find her at the breakfast meeting with Erk Russell and the gang at Snooky’s.

She loved being outdoors, whether fishing or water skiing.

She will be greatly missed.

The family will receive visitors Friday, November 6th, at 2 p.m. at the New Hope Global Methodist Church, located at 9623 Georgia Highway 24, Statesboro.

The funeral will follow immediately at 3 p.m., with pastors Thad Harvey and Janet Odegaard officiating. Burial will follow in the adjacent cemetery.

The family requests that memorial contributions be sent to New Hope Global Methodist Church.

Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com.

Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.

Statesboro Herald, November 5, 2026

Sign the Legacy online guestbook at www.statesboroherald.com.