Episode 1: Thelma Hodges

In the premiere episode of Icons of Naples, Kristen Weardon sits down with the extraordinary Thelma Hodges, a woman whose life is inextricably woven into the very first chapters of Naples, Florida. Arriving in a dark, quiet fishing village in November 1955, Thelma served as one of the community's first three nurses.

Thelma shares fascinating first-hand accounts of the early days of Naples Community Hospital, from unpacking medical instruments on the floor of a building that was still a shell to working through the devastating surge of Hurricane Donna in 1960.

Beyond her medical career, Thelma discusses her life with her late husband, Earl Hodges, a visionary philanthropist. Together, they built a legacy of service and education that continues to shape Southwest Florida today.

In this episode, Kristen and Thelma discuss:

00:00 Thelma Hodges
09:50 Founding the Hospital
18:41 Hurricane Donna (1960)
33:53 Meeting Earl Hodges
46:25 The Hodges Legacy
01:04:03 Humble Roots for the Future

“If I had been born here, I couldn't have loved this place more.” — Thelma Hodges.

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