Lois Foight Hodges

Hodges, Lois Foight, 95, passed away recently after a long and fulfilling life that included many years in Esperance, Schenectady, and Clifton Park.

Lois was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she met Richard Coode Hodges (d. 1974). They married while Richard served in the U.S. Army, and Lois joined him in Morocco before they returned to Pittsburgh. The couple later moved to New York's Capital District, where they raised their two children, John and Alison.

A dedicated librarian and advocate for children's literature, Lois served for many years as Coordinator of Children's Services for the Schenectady County Public Library. A gifted storyteller, she made significant contributions to her profession, serving on the 1985 Caldecott Medal Committee and the 1983 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Committee.

Lois's interests were as varied as they were enduring. She was a devoted patron of the arts, volunteering as an usher at SPAC and attending operas at the Lake George Opera Festival. An accomplished musician, she played recorder in an early music ensemble. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, she was active in the Adirondack and Mohawk Valley hiking clubs, where she met her second husband, Ronald Neadle (d. 2022). She also treasured her lifelong friendship with Eleanor ("Ele") Wenzell Richardson (d. 2026). Ron and Lois spent many happy summers on Cape Cod with Ele and her family.

Lois is survived by her son, John Hodges (Carolyn Jablonski); her daughter, Alison Hodges; her granddaughter, Cola (Ben Solwitz); her great-granddaughter, Tamsen; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Family and friends are invited to visitation at Riverview Funeral Home in Troy, New York, on Sunday, June 28, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to the American Library Association's Unite Against Book Bans campaign: https://give.ala.org/campaign/753984/donate.