Dr. Bruce R. Hodges, age 71, a resident of The Villages, FL, passed away September 10, 2020, at Brighton Gardens in St. Charles, Illinois.  He was born January 17, 1949 in Gary, Indiana to Horace & Mary Hodges.

In Bruce's very young years, his parents rented an apartment in Gary, Indiana.  They moved to Calumet Township in 1953, when Bruce's brother, David, was born.  Bruce wasn't happy about this new addition to their family as the baby was taking attention from himself.

Bruce attended St. Hedwig Catholic School in Gary and in 1961 they moved to Meadowdale in Merrillville,  Indiana.  During that time, Bruce played Little League baseball.  He was a great pitcher and was on the All-star team.  Bruce attended Fieler Grade School and continued on to Merrillville Jr. High.  It was in junior high school that Bruce came to know Coach John Steffek.  He also got to know Coach Steffek's legendary paddles. Bruce attended Merrillville High School where he excelled and lettered in both baseball and football, playing center.  During his senior year they made it to the Conference championship.  Bruce graduated from high school in 1967. He attended Indiana University  in 1968 & 1969, but left college to enlist in the Navy Reserve and was stationed at Paris Island Marine Recruit Depot.  He served in the Navy from 1969 to 1971 during the Viet Nam War as a dental technician.  It was during his time at Paris Island that his brother, Dave, went to visit him.  Dave's plane was hijacked to Cuba.  (That's a whole other story...) When he was honorably discharged from the Navy, he moved to San Diego, California where he briefly attended San Diego State University.

Bruce then managed a mall in Salt Lake City,  Utah for about 2-3 years. He then returned to Indiana in 1976 and bought & operated a convenience store in Portage, Indiana.  After a few years Bruce decided to enter the School of Chiropractic.  This also when he met his future wife and soulmate, Carolyn. They married on October 3, 1987. He graduated and started his own (very successful) practice in Hobart, Indiana.

After several years, Bruce sold his practice, he and Carolyn moved to Glen Ellyn, IL and he became a professor at National College of Chiropractic Lombard, IL.   During his time of teaching, he pursued and received his Masters Degree. Bruce was a Professor of Ethics & also created a class on how to start a practice. Bruce taught until he retired in 2018.  Many letters of appreciation & praise were written to him for his instruction & mentoring. Bruce started working part time at a golf course, but his progressing lung cancer and caring for Carolyn (who had breast/lung cancer) prohibited him from doing so. His beloved wife, Carolyn, passed away on March 7, 2019. Within 8 months Bruce moved to the Villages, Florida.  Shortly after, his cancer metastasized to pancreatic/liver cancer and came back with a vengeance, so he decided to move back to IL in the spring of 2020 to be closer to family and his oncologist.

Bruce was a cherished husband, brother, step-dad and papa. He was a devout Roman Catholic and he dedicated his life first to his family and then his career as a chiropractor and professor. Those acquainted with him knew him as a simple man, a gentleman, having a love of all sports, history, cars, music, reading and classic movies. In the words of his grandchildren, Papa Bruce was notably a kind soul, noble, humble, sophisticated and an excellent role model! He gave the best hugs, was at every family and grandchild event possible and always engaged with his grandchildren on their level whether playing Barbies, bird watching or sharing his wisdom with college and beyond. He is surely headed for heaven and will always be in our hearts as we ponder countless memories.

He is survived by his beloved brother David (Gail); his devoted step-daughters, Desiree (Johnny) Bruce and Michaelene (Glenn) Hayward; his loving grandchildren, Antoinette (Filip) Kaevski, Malina Clemans, Drake Hayward, Brooke Hayward and Grace Hayward; his precious great-grandchildren, Luca & Natalia Kaevski and his nieces Karyn (Rick) Struck, Christina (Ben) Johnson & Sara Hodges.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 31 years, Carolyn.

A visitation will be held Thursday, September 17, 2020 from 4-8 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home , 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL. All guests are asked wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines. Chapel prayers will be held Friday, September 18, 2020, 9:15 a.m. proceeding to St. Michael Catholic Church for mass at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be held privately at All Saints Cemeter y in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Wounded Warrior Project , PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.