Jennie Hodgson, born Nov. 18, 1930, died Nov. 30, 2010, after moving from Vashon back to her native Maryland two years ago.

After raising two daughters in Ithaca, N.Y., and spending more than a decade teaching preschool and running a day care in New Hampshire, she moved to Vashon in the late 1970s and found herself and her calling in community service. She served on the Vashon School Board, the League of Women Voters, the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council, the Vashon Island Unitarian Fellowship and the Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation.

As one Islander noted when Jennie left Vashon, “She is a leader, not a follower. Anything she touched, she bettered or made progress on. … She’s a real activist.”

Jennie also supported Vashon Island Pet Protectors, helped run the Chess Club, found time to read a book each month for her book group, belonged to the No Guilt Quilt Group and wrote many letters to the editor of The Beachcomber.

She made many friends in whose lives and families she took a personal interest and attended the games of every local sports team from the youngest ages through professional levels.

Jennie’s family is grateful to the Vashon community for its support, especially when she was ill. Motivated by flagging health, Jennie left Vashon to return to the Maryland area, but Vashon never left her heart or her phone book.

Jennie is survived by a brother Thomas G. Alexander of Maryland, sisters Alice (Alexander) King of California and Martha Alexander of Missouri, daughters Lyle Hodgson of Massachusetts and Kate Hodgson of Maine, as well as a nephew, 5 nieces, and 20 great-nieces and -nephews. Her husband, Joseph Frederick Hodgson, died earlier.

The Vashon Island Unitarian Fellowship and Jennie’s two daughters, Lyle Ann and Kate Hodgson, are making plans for a memorial service for Jennie to be held on Vashon in March or April.