Chantal Hodges, a lifelong summer resident of Edgartown, died Feb. 22, the day before her 86th birthday, in New York city with her family by her side.

Chantal was born in Paris, France, on Feb. 23, 1935, the daughter of Capt. Raymond P. Leroy and Lesley M. Tillotson. Her father was a highly decorated French infantry officer who was killed in combat against Rommel’s army in Tunisia during World War II. Following her father’s death the family moved for a time to Martha’s Vineyard where her mother married William B. Dinsmore, a composer and teacher of counterpoint at the Juilliard School of Music.

Chantal spent every summer on Martha’s Vineyard, missing only two seasons after the war. She loved the Vineyard and thought of it as home. During summers on the Island she could most often be spotted playing tennis with friends (winning many points with her deadly drop shot), clamming on Chappaquiddick, searching for sea glass at the beach, enjoying a Sunday buffet at the Edgartown Yacht Club with her family, hosting her annual Fourth of July party or hunting for Vineyard postcards at up-Island shops. What meant the most to her was passing down her love of this magical Island to her children and grandchildren.

She attended Tuxedo Park School, Miss Hall’s School and Barnard College from which she graduated in 1957. She then attended Harvard Business School in one of its first classes open to women. She worked for the Oxford University Press for many years, and she became an editor both there and at Modern Bride magazine.

She was a passionate book collector and had an extensive collection of both 19th and 20th century first editions of illustrated children’s books. She was thrilled that two of her books were featured in the New York Grolier Club’s exhibit of One Hundred Books Famous In Children’s Literature.

She was a great wit and storyteller and had many close friends whom she held most dear. She quickly saw what was funny and made people laugh. Her daughter Cordelia recalls many nights as a child listening to her mother regale her friends with racy adult humor at the dinner parties that she loved to host. For her, life was all about friends and family.

She was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, the Thursday Evening Club, the Edgartown Yacht Club, the Fortnightly Club and the Grolier.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Fletcher Hodges; two daughters, Cordelia Tilghman and Rebecca Hodges; and two grandchildren, Fletcher and Sarah Lesley.

A memorial service will held be after the pandemic.