Darlene Collins Hodges, 75, of Franklin, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 at Four Seasons Hospice in Flat Rock, NC after a short illness.

Born in Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Wiley Collins and Ethel Turpin Collins of Sylva. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Hodges who died in 1984 and her six year old niece Deborah Darlene Buchanan.

She received her bachelor's degree and master's degree from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. She attended George Peabody College in Nashville, TN and also attended the University of Georgia, working toward her doctorate degree. She taught high school in Franklin, NC and in Oakboro, NC for many years. She taught at Southwestern Community College in Webster, NC and later became Dean of Instruction at Haywood Community College where she retired. She made her violin and loved playing it with her bluegrass friends and musicians. She has played with several bands including Curtis Blackwell and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys and High Country Bluegrass.

She is survived by a brother, G.C. Collins and wife, Barbara, of Webster and Patsy Collins Smith and husband, Charles of Rutherfordton, NC; two nephews and one niece; and two great-nephews and three great nieces.

Graveside Service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Fairview Memorial Gardens. Rev. John Reid will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Saturday, at Macon Funeral Home prior to the service.

Online condolences @www.maconfuneralhome.com