Winthrop (Win) Marvin Hodges passed away peacefully in his home and surrounded by love on November 30, 2025. Born in New York City on May 25, 1940, to George Winthrop Hodges and Elizabeth Cornwall Hodges, Win embraced an optimistic attitude and love of learning that shaped his life and impacted all of those he touched. Win was the loving husband of Marjorie Mooney Hodges for 61 years. He adored her and their beautiful partnership has been the inspiration to many. Win was beloved by his daughters, Cecil Anne Hodges of Norwell, Massachusetts and Beth Hodges Mercurio of Hingham, Massachusetts and their respective husbands, Michael Falcone and Michael Mercurio. He cherished his grandchildren: Lila Grace Mercurio, Anne Kearny Mercurio, Robert Winthrop Hodges-Falcone, Myles Cecil Hodges-Falcone, and Caledonia Kathryn Hodges-Falcone. Win also leaves behind his younger sister, Betsy Hodges Foth and her husband, Bob, their daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Josh and son Jacob Okello, as well as many dear cousins.
Win was a proud 1964 graduate of Princeton University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps reserves from 1964 to 1966. Win grew up in New York City and lived there until he accepted a job at Little Brown Publishing in Boston and moved the family to Hingham, Massachusetts. He loved books and the role of Managing Editor was a bright spot in his professional career. He later moved into corporate communications at The New England (Met Life), but it was a lung cancer diagnosis at 53 that created a pivotal personal and professional change for him. Finding cancer to be an unexpected gift, he found his purpose and dedicated much of his life to patient advocacy and compassionate caregiving. Win was a member of Mass General Cancer Center’s Patient and Family Advisory Council and a charter member of the hospital’s Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, facilitating its forums to strengthen patient-caregiver relationships. Win presented at many national conferences as a vigorous and effective advocate for patient and family-centered health care and was named a prestigious one-hundred honoree by Mass General Hospital.
Win was a renaissance man of sorts, an avid reader and spent time focusing on the awe of life, the power of presence and the natural beauty that surrounded him. He loved being by the water and in his earlier years, he could often be found hiking at World’s End, kayaking around the Harbor Islands, running with the Hingham Striders and proudly marching with the Hingham Militia. He enjoyed good conversation, loved learning and had an innate way of seeing issues from multiple perspectives. He was a joy to be around and although he battled several health issues along the way, Win was always strong-willed, grateful, brave and optimistic. He has been described as a classy, brilliant, and kind gentleman. His grandchildren will forever remember his special warm hugs, his joy of dancing, his contagious laughter and his devotion to being a part of their lives. Win leaves an imprint on those who knew him and his spirit and wisdom will carry us for many years to come.
A celebration of life will be held at Old Ship Church on Friday, January 9th at 3:00 pm. A reception will follow at the Hingham Community Center. Memorial Contributions can be made to The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare at https://giving.theschwartzcenter.org/. For more information and online guestbook go to www.downingchapel.com