Dena Hodges

Dena M. Hodges is the only child of Meredith Hodges, the oldest child of famous cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. She is also the firstborn grandchild of Charles M. Schulz, preceding the birth of his second of fifteen grandchildren by seven years, and mother of his two oldest great grandchildren. As of 2023, Charles M. Schulz was still the fifth highest paid dead celebrity, more than twenty-four years after his death. As a result of his legacy, his descendants have been very well cared for with the exception of one, his first-born grandchild, Dena M. Hodges. Dena Hodges holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Ms. Hodges is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Homeland Security.

The memoir of Author Dena M. Hodges reveals the mysterious death of her father when she was an infant and years of physical and mental abuse by her mother. It includes how she learned of the death of her beloved maternal grandfather, Charles M. Schulz, when it was announced on television. A crazy turn of events at the public funeral for Charles M. Schulz also led to the discovery of Ms. Hodges’ paternal grandfather. Although she had grown up deceived into believing all her paternal relatives were dead, her paternal grandfather was still looking for her after twenty-five years.

The many traumatic events Dena endured throughout her life, and continues to be challenged with today, have been deemed “completely unbelievable” by both her trauma therapists and pastoral Christian counselors. Her story is a gripping and fascinating journey through the life of a complex PTSD survivor, with many unforeseeable twists and turns, all occurring in the shadow of a world-renowned cartoonist and his famous cartoon dog.

Dena’s life story is an astonishing mixture of traumatic events and shocking revelations throughout her life, coupled with her enduring determination to survive and deepening faith.