An industry leader and mentor, Karen Hodges passed away on November 29, 2021, in Fort Meyers, FL. 

Hodges was co‐founder and co‐author of the online learning programs on Nailcare Academy, Professional Education, and Salon Gurus, and co‐author with Marjory Grimm, well‐known educator, on Permanent Makeup Training. Through these learning formats and her many other influential roles she successfully and continually changed lives for the better throughout her career.

Hodges is survived by Katrina and Mark Allison and their children, Victoria and Ryan, of Fort Myers, FL.

"Many of you knew Karen well, as a friend and mentor; others knew her as a driving force for our companies and the beauty industry," says Janet McCormick, a partner, collaborator and dear friend of Hodges' who first shared the news with NAILS. "All of us knew her as a brilliant while caring professional. She is sorely missed by all who knew her‐that is not a cliche, it is an all‐encompassing truth.

"Hodges will want us to carry on her legacy toward higher learning and success," McCormick continued. "She gave fully of herself to all of us, whenever we needed her, and had so much more planned for us all! It was the way she lived, day by day. I miss her every hour of every day, both as her friend and as her business partner. Life has taken a sudden change for many of us."

A memorial will be held 3 PM on December 29^th at Harvey‐Engelhardt Funeral Home in Fort Myers, FL. Those who wish to attend in person or via a live webstream are welcome. 

If you would like to submit a tribute and/or pictures, go to this tribute archive.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Beauty Changes Lives in her name to a scholarship being developed in her honor for advanced education for nail technicians and estheticians. Hodges was very involved with this charity in the last year of her life.

McCormick says the sites she and Hodges collaborated on will continue and she is available for any questions: 863‐273‐9134.