Emma Leigh Joy Hodges was born September 20, 2019 and passed away December 7, 2019 at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN.

In her short time with us, she inspired us with her spirit and strength. She is our little hero, a tiny warrior loved dearly by her whole family.

She is survived by her parents, Justin and Jessica Hodges; older brother, Declan Hodges; and her twin brother, Oliver Hodges, all of Holly Springs, MS; grandmother, Cathy Gschwend of West Helena, AR; great-grandmother, Johnnie Gammill of Starkville, MS; aunts, Lacey (Barry Wilmott) Hodges and Whitney Hodges, both of Starkville, MS; and Kimberly Bridges of West Helena, AR; uncles, Benjamin (Christina) Watkins; Rickey (Christy) Gschwend, Jr., of West Helena, AR; and Mitchell (Victoria) Watkins of Philadelphia, MS.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Beverly Gammill Hodges; grandfathers Ronnie Hodges and Ricky Gschwend; and great-grandfather Gerald Gammill.

Visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 12, at Antioch Community Church, Ackerman, MS, followed by services at 11:30, with burial in the church cemetery.

We ask that you continue to keep Justin, Jessica, Declan and Oliver in your thoughts and prayers. We leave you with this sweet poem by E. E. Cummings…

I carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)