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Hodges, Taylors Honored During Heritage Festival

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HUNTINGDON (September 25) — Brooke Hodges was honored as the Citizen of the Year and the Parnell Taylor family was honored as the Pioneer Family of the Year during the 28th annual Huntingdon Heritage Day.

Mayor Dale Kelley read prepared remarks about each family during the opening ceremony of the festival, which included children’s events, food booths, music, and fund-raising activities.

Brooksie Nell Sanders Hodges
The third child of three, Brooke was born, Brooksie Nelle Sanders, to Willie and Mary Opal Quillen Sanders on April 24, 1945. Her parents had just come through the Great Depression and World War II. 18 years younger than her brother Bernie Sanders and 8 years younger than her sister, Ruby Sanders Allen, she would later become known as a Baby Boomer. The family lived on a small farm at the edge of Huntingdon and her father worked at the Milan Arsenal until he obtained powder on his lung and was sent to the West TN T.B. Hospital.

Brooke enrolled in the Huntingdon School System where she would spend the next 12 years on Browning Avenue as her first chapter in the world of education. Her graduating class of 1963 consisted of 63 members. For women, this usually meant secretarial work, nursing, or teaching. For Brooke it was teaching. Her experiences to this point were the Huntingdon School System, working as a waitress at The Tea Room, working at the Rexall Drug on the Court Square and Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

In 1968, Brooke married Charles Wesley Hodges and his 10 sisters and brothers, of Gleason TN, along with a Henry I. Siegel Family. Charles and Brooke have been and continue to be an inseparable team.

Upon graduation from UT at Martin, she and Charles moved to Johnson City, TN with H.I.S. Sportswear, where both Mary Susan and Martha Benton were born. Brooke began her first of thirty years of teaching in Carter County. She later taught in McKenzie before coming home to Huntingdon to raise their two girls in the Huntingdon School System and the First United Methodist Church. She taught at the elementary and middle school before receiving a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and an Educational Specialist Degree, before being asked to serve the system as Supervisor of Instruction and director of Federal Projects. She encouraged Huntingdon teachers to leadership positions and presenter status at the state level and the system received an award on her behalf as a State Supervisor Nominee of the Year in 2002.

After spending 30 years in public education (25 in Huntingdon), Brooke was named a TN Exemplary Educator and worked to assist struggling schools in Nashville and Memphis. During these years, the first grandchild, Carter Cary, was born and so she decided to come home. After being in school for 51 years (a long time from that bus ride into first grade) it was time to do other things.

So she came home to do what she could for her church and community. She began to work with program development at the Dixie where she would spend 15 years as either a volunteer or employee doing whatever was needed at the time. She continues in her role as a volunteer.

During her years in Huntingdon, Brooke has served in varied capacities including serving as president of the Girls Softball League, president of the Jr. Woman’s Club, president of the Book Club, President of Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher’s Sorority, and member of the Huntingdon Garden Club.

Additionally, she worked with a distinguished group of Huntingdon High School graduates to start the Huntingdon Alumni Association and served as its first president. She still serves as a member of the board.

Today, she and Charles do whatever is needed wherever it is needed and the majority of that revolves around Huntingdon and their five grandchildren: Carter, Campbell, Kenley, Claire, and Sam.

The Parnell Taylor Family
James Franklin Taylor, the patriarch of the Taylor family, was born in Carroll County in 1844. He enlisted in the Union army in 1861 at the age of 17 and served with the 7th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry Volunteers. He was captured, along with most of the regiment, in a battle at Union City but escaped while being marched to Andersonville Prison. James Franklin and wife Caroline Cox had 10 children, one of which was (James) Lucas Taylor, the father of (Lucas) Parnell Taylor. Lucas moved to Huntingdon and farmed in the Lankford School community. In 1957, Parnell moved his family to Northwood Drive.

Lucas and Lola Routon Taylor had 3 children: Parnell, Russell, and Majorie. Russell and Melba of Bruceton had 3 children; Mary James, Susan, and Jimmy. Marilyn and Brian, both of Huntingdon were the children of Majorie and C D Caton. After a short time in the Army, Parnell married Christine Crawley of Bruceton and had 2 children: Robert Lucas and James Vincent, both life-long residents of Huntingdon.

With the help of his father-in-law, Lloyd Crawley, Parnell opened Taylor-Crawley Pontiac Company on E Main St in 1948. In 1955, Parnell became the sole owner of Taylor Pontiac Co. and remained at that location until 1982. He and his sons bought the Chevrolet franchise from Gordon Wilder. Christine, Robert and Vince worked with him in the dealership until it was sold in 1989.

Parnell was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Huntingdon Rotary Club, and was a Mason. He served on the Huntingdon School Board and was a member of numerous local organizations and served in the state legislature from 1972-1974. He attended several state and national inaugurations and was a representative at one Presidential Convention.

Parnell enjoyed farming and raising cattle, horses, and hunting with his bird dogs. His idea of fun was feeding his animals, driving his tractor on the farm and of course, spending time with his grandchildren.

Robert and Vince continue to live on the family farm. Robert and Phyllis have 2 children and 4 grandchildren; Robyn, Taylor, and Jackson of Spring Hill, Tenn. and Lucas (Lauren), Griffin, and Parker of Greensboro, North Carolina. Vince and Glenda have 1 daughter and 1 granddaughter; Morgan and Tinley of Huntingdon. Robert and Vince are members of the First United Methodist Church. They have continued in their father’s tradition of loving Huntingdon and Carroll Co. and in being of service to the community. Robert and Vince both are lifelong Mustangs and accepted the award on behalf of the family.