HODGE,
Dr. Kenneth W., 85 years old, of Louisville, passed away on March 21, 2017 surrounded by his family and close friends; a loving tribute to the man he was and the life he lived. He had suffered a stroke five days earlier.
Often known as the "singing doctor," he dedicated 46 years serving others as a family physician with his partners Stuart Cohen and Brian DePrest. He enjoyed passing along much of what he had learned to University of Louisville students and residents. Always careful to take care of his body, he loved to challenge “young whippersnappers” to push-up, sit-up, and handshake competitions - which he usually won.
A child of the Depression, his parents struggled to keep his family together. If you happened to be wandering along the Ohio River in the early 1940s you might have seen him wrangling a hotdog off a resident hobo or jumping a ride on a freight car. Fortunately, the Aldridge family of Louisville took him into their foster home, offering him a chance for a better life.
Gifted with good looks, a superb singing voice, significant athletic prowess, and an endless will to succeed, his life really took a turn for the better when he was 17. It was then that he met and fell in love with Yvonne Marie Martin, who became his wife of 64 years. Her wonderful grace and charm would keep him striving to be the best man he could be for the rest of his days. At around the same time, Kenneth's best friend Skip Kirchdorfer began inviting him home after football practice – knowing Kenneth had no home to go to himself. Shortly thereafter, the Kirchdorfer family extended an invitation for Kenneth to live with them. To this day, the Kirchdorfers and Hodges celebrate life together as family because of the bonds forged as friends between Kenneth and Skip.
He loved country music, horse racing, playing cards, and watching the Cards. He was not a talented golfer, but he showed up at every round bragging about his new golf swing. What he really loved was the four or five hours that he got to spend with his best buddies. Always the jokester, he would perpetually defend the honor of "old baldheaded men" and try to win your sympathy with his famous chin quiver. Through it all, he was always "swell."
What he loved most of all was his "baby" Yvonne, his children, and his grandchildren, whom he bragged about constantly.
Despite the hard times in his childhood, Kenneth always thought of himself as lucky: Lucky to have met Skip and Yvonne, lucky to have been put in a foster home, and lucky to have become a doctor. When hearing how Kenneth strove to overcome the hardships in his life, his children and grandchildren only saw heroism and strength – not luck.
He was preceded in death by his son Michael, and his siblings Louis, Thomas, Dorothy, Doris and Odessa. He had also lost his adoptive parents, Buss and Hester Kirchdorfer and his brother Bobby (Sande).
He is survived by his wife Yvonne; his children, Kenneth (Debbie), Carol McCaffery (Randy), Robert (Jodie) and David (Dana); his 11 grandchildren; his brothers, Harold (Judith) and Skip (Phyllis); his sisters, Shirley (Bert), Ruthie (Tom), Donna (Dale), and Kay (Mike); and endless memories and stories of his life.
Visitation will be at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY, 40205 from 4-8 p.m. Friday, March 24 and 9-10 a.m. Saturday, March 25. Funeral services will begin at the same location on Saturday at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Crusade for Children.

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