HUDSON FALLS

Lulumae M. (Gage) Hodder, 96, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 17, 2016 at Glens Falls Hospital surrounded by her family.

Born August 14, 1919 in Gloversville, NY, she was the daughter of the late William and Myrtle (Keech) Mattison of Fort Ann.

Moving to Maple Street in Hudson Falls when she was very young, she graduated from the old high school on Main Street, Class of 1936.

Our Mother, Lulumae was a goal setter, loving a challenge. Her whole life was spent educating herself with courses and tremendous reading while raising a family of eight children. She was a gorgeous woman, physically and a beautiful person inside.

As a young mother of three in Glens Falls, she worked as a maid and a housekeeper. After moving to Burgoyne Ave. in Hudson Falls, and having five more children, her life was in constant motion. It was easier to have all the neighbor kids in her house than to search for her eight children. Burgoyne was a wonderful place to grow up in a house that was never quiet. In 1960, moving to Maple Street was Lulumae’s dream- her “lucky charm”.

Lu graduated from the “Dale Carnegie Course”, took those lessons, and stepped up her game. She worked in sales, always rising to management and winning any prize offered by the companies, from a tiny gold cup to a Hawaiian vacation. She became one of the first women in Prudential Insurance sales in NY State.

After owning her family restaurant “The 3Gs” (Latham Diner), she attended BOCES food service program, becoming a chef under “Doc” Joseph’s guidance, worked at A-Quad at Albany University, became the head chef at Fort William Henry Restaurant, ran the Poore House in Chestertown, and owned the Town and Country Restaurant in South Glens Falls where she started the Al Bain Fan Club. While working for the Economic Opportunity Council as a Washington County Nutrition Advocate, she began the first farmers’ markets in the county and was named a NYS “Pioneer” for her work in community gardens and food banks. “People should not be starving in the United States.”

Lu will be remembered for her work in antiques and costume jewelry, with her tent set up at flea markets and indoor sales. Lawn sales were adventures-buying or selling. For the last thirty years Lu loved owning apartment buildings, dealing with rentals, and joining friends for breakfast. Her theory of “Buy land. They don’t make any more of it!” led to her hole-in-the-ground sand pit on Burgoyne Ave. At 33 feet deep at the road, it was taking years to fill, and she had almost reached that goal.

Lu was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hudson Falls On the Park, The American Legion, and was a founding member of the Kingsbury Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary. She was proud of driving her car, starting at eight with her father, up to her final driving this year in April at age 96, and the Model-T she had in high school.

Lulumae was a friend and advisor to many, and she deeply loved her family, but she expected the best from people. Her brain was amazing. She kept her wits until the end. “Think positive!” “Set your goals and you can do anything you want in life!”

In addition to her parents, Lulumae was predeceased by her step-mother, Lena Mattison; her birth mother, Mary (Mae) Mattison Locke of Indian Lake; sisters; Constance Brewer and Laura Jane Hutchins, and her brother Gerald Locke; her husband Owen Hodder; Arthur J. Gage, the father of her children; her granddaughter Lori L. Gage, and her beloved daughter Sylvia Monahan O’Dell.

Left to cherish her memory are her children; Lulumae L. Anderson (Neil) of Adamsville, Elaina M. Rager (Richard) of McLean, VA, William A. Gage (Sharon) of Hampton, Kathy A. Bain (Allan) of West Hebron, Connie L. Fuller (Kneeland) of Hudson Falls, Martin C. Gage (Lynda) of Dublin, OH, and Frederick Ronald Gage (Barb) of Hudson Falls, her grandchildren; Leza L. Wood (Tim), R. Tracey Bissell (Jacquelyn Monahan), Rainee M. Bolanos (Marlon), William A. Anderson (Laurie Eastwood), Margaret P. Bennett (Ted Teriele), Amy Gage (Andrew Freeman), Lea Pettis (Craig), Mary Gage (Wayne Fitzgerald), John J. Bain (Denise), Kelly A. Bain (Dave Becker), Trisha Fuller-Boucher (Mark), Stacy Fuller-Lamdan (Assaf), and Dena M. Monahan, her great-grandchildren; Marissa, Kegan, Anastasia, Brice, Briant, Calista, Dennis, Elisabeth, Madeline, Jonathan, Jerica, R. Zakeria, Kayla, Chelsea, Ashley, Brandon, Rebecca (Michael), Marcus, Charlene, Lori, Bailey, Connor. Ethan, Ryan and Kimberly, her great-great grandchild Aaron, as well as her brother-in-law Arthur Brewer and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Friends may call from 2-4pm and 6-8pm on Friday, June 24, 2016 at the M.B. Kilmer Funeral Home, 82 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828. A Funeral Service will be conducted at 10am on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at the First Presbyterian Church of Hudson Falls On The Park, with Rev. Michael Plank, Pastor officiating.
Interment will follow in Union Cemetery.

Please come and help the family celebrate Lulumae’s life after the services at the Kingsbury Volunteer Fire Company Hall on Burgoyne Ave, Hudson Falls.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff of the Glens Falls Hospital and The Orchard for all their care given to Lulumae.

To leave online condolences or to view Lulumae’s Book of Memories, please visit www.kilmerfuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lulumae Hodder (Mattison), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.