A Life of Legendary Support

By Harry Hatrick

 Each year, the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce hosts a banquet, where a variety of awards are presented to recognize business acumen and community service.
One of the most prestigious awards is the Alice Hall Community Service Award.

The Alice Hall Community Service Award recognizes the achievements of individuals who have
made “an exemplary lifetime contribution toward the betterment of the greater Zephyrhills community.

The award is named after Alice Hall, for whom the Alice Hall Community Center at Zephyr Park is also named. Hall was a tireless community leader and Zephyrhills supporter. On the evening of August 28, 2025, a new name was added to the exclusive list of winners, following in the footsteps of Alice Hall, a true living legend – Carolyn Hodges of Faithful Friends Pet Cremation.

Talk to anyone who has been in Zephyrhills or Dade City since the turn of the century, and you will likely find that they know Carolyn Hodges. Hodges is a Florida native born just down the road in Ybor City, as were her mother and grandmother, but her great-grandmother arrived here in the U.S. on a boat from Italy.

Her history in Pasco County began in November 1998, when she and her former husband moved to Dade City to establish Hodges Funeral Home, which they did in March 1999. “I worked in special ed for almost 17 years in Tampa,” Hodges said. “I finished out in Tampa the [98-99] school year because we opened in March, but in September, I switched to Pasco High.

I finished out the year because we needed to eat, we needed a roof over our heads, you know?” she chuckled. “I worked that one year over and above after opening
the funeral home, then I stopped and worked full- time at the funeral home.” “My job was marketing, which I’d never done in my life, but I figured that one out,” Hodges said.

You had to be wherever anybody was - name tag on, say hello, hand out cards, promote your business. Promote. Promote. Promote.” It was through this work that she became involved with the local Chambers of Commerce. In those days, there were two separate chambers for Dade City and Zephyrhills, and Hodges was involved with  both. She promoted her business and learned to lend support to other businesses.

In her 27 years with the two Chambers (which are now one), she has served on the board of directors more than she has been off it. She has served as president three times - once for Zephyrhills and once for Dade City. She has served as secretary, treasurer, and as an ambassador, and has had a seat on a number of committees. “I worked my way up,” Hodges said. “I just felt like it was one way to get known, and I did my best to show up to everything I could.”

As with all people, things change, and life is no longer the same. For Hodges, it was adivorce that took her in a new direction in life, which would bring her
to open Faithful Friends Pet Cremation with her daughter, Rachel Leblanc.