Roger Hodge

Photograph of Roger, obtained from his Facebook page.

Roger Joe Hodge, Sr., known lovingly by many as “Big Hodge,” was a dedicated Deputy Warden of Security at Calhoun State Prison and served the Georgia Department of Corrections for over 22 years. 

Born in Camilla, Georgia on February 19, 1972, Roger served in the United States Army for eight years and the Army Reserve for six years upon graduating from Mitchell-Baker High School in 1990. In June 2015, he went on to complete further studies and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and Ethics from Mid-American Christian University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Afterwards, he began his career as a correctional officer at the Autry State Prison in Pelham, Georgia. During his tenure there, he received many accolades for his hard work and was promoted through the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, and chief of security. On June 1, 2019, he was promoted to Deputy Warden of Security at Calhoun State Prison in Morgan, Georgia, where he was loved by many. One such person, Sergeant Barbara Williams of Calhoun State Prison, remembers Roger not only as her supervisor, but as her friend and “go to person.” 

“He was like no other Deputy warden or supervisor. He was kind. He was a people person. He pushed me to move forward in the department,” Sgt. Williams wrote on an online obituary page for Roger’s family. “Mrs. Hodge, your husband was a gentle giant. Deputy Warden Hodge will be missed by everyone he came in contact with. We loved him here at Calhoun State Prison.”

Photograph of Roger and his beloved wife Audrey, obtained from his Facebook page.

Roger was also a devoted member of the St. James Missionary Baptist Church of Baconton, Georgia, where he lived with his beloved wife Audrey Wallace-Hodge of almost 4 years. His favorite restaurant was El Vaquero, a Mexican restaurant where the staff knew him affectionately as “Richie.” His favorite NFL team was the Atlanta Falcons. 

Roger was the first staff member to fall prey to the spike of COVID-19 in Georgia prisons. We lost Roger on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. 

This memorial was written by MOL team member Ilyana Benjelloun with information from reporting by Georgia Department of Corrections, Christian Boone of AJC and the Robert Jester Mortuary.