Anne Goodyear Hudnut

Anne Goodyear Hudnut, aged 91, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born on December 7, 1933, in Buffalo, New York, to Sarah Norton and George Forman Goodyear. She attended the Ethel Walker School in Connecticut, and in addition to living in Buffalo and Indianapolis, she was a resident of Marco Island, Florida for many years. She married the Honorable William H. Hudnut III in Buffalo, New York, and was married to him during his years as Senior Minister of Second Presbyterian Church and Member of Congress, House of Representatives.

In Indianapolis, she was an energetic civic volunteer, participating in the Junior League, hospital work and church boards. Her memberships have included Woodstock Country Club, Lambs Club, Contemporary Club, Garden Club, Dramatic Club, Children’s Museum, and Indianapolis Museum of Art. She was an active member of Second Presbyterian Church and her Overlook residential community. She was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Robert D. Orr, and given a key to the city by Mayor William Hudnut for her service to her community.

Anne is preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Laura Reed (David), and her son Michael (Shirley). She is survived by her two sisters, Mary Gurney and Sarah Goodyear, her 3 sons, Timothy, William (Thom) and Theodore (Katya), her 6 grandchildren, Peter (Brittany), Stephen (Danielle), Matthew, Andrew, Madison, and Jackson, and her 5 great-grandchildren, Nathan, Devin, Brooklynn, Cameren and Chase. Her family was the delight of her life.

Family, friends and others are invited to the Overlook Clubhouse, 8511 Overlook Parkway, Indianapolis, IN, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm on Saturday, January 18, 2025, to pay their respects.

Anne will be buried in a private service in the family cemetery in the Adirondack Mountains.

Memorial donations may be made to Second Presbyterian Church or the American Diabetes Society.

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25 years ago while living full-time in Marco Island, Florida, Anne wrote an autobiography for her father, who was compiling a family history. Here are some excerpts:

“Lucky person that I am, I picked the right ancestors - a beautiful mother and a brainy father. I was given good genes and parenting, financial security, a healthy body, a sense of humor and a resilient spirit.

My biggest achievement, my greatest accomplishment, the cohesive fabric and passion of my adult life has been my five children. I reveled in motherhood and did little else but stay home and tend those very special little people while they were growing up. During the hours they were in classes I learned to get involved in community work, but was always home when they got off the school bus. These were 30 wonderful years; in motherhood I felt truly connected, needed and loved, and that is what I hope I gave to them, my children.

I discovered I had a talent for needlepoint in my early thirties, making dozens of pillows, creating my own designs and winning ribbons at the State Fair. I conducted classes for several years and had showings at art galleries in two cities. My rug making was encouraged by a young son. He showed his delight at my first finished project by declaring “It’s beautiful, Mom, but who is going to get it when you die?” I made 5 to solve the inheritance problem, and finally made over 20 before the Florida heat and humidity called a halt to this hobby.

With my offspring grown, I turned attention to my second passion, volunteer work. My mother’s example had led me to hospital work while the children were young in Nyack, NY, Buffalo, NY, Annapolis, MD and Indianapolis, IN. I quickly learned how many community services depended on volunteer workers, and what a wonderful way it was to become a part of a new locale.

Some of the qualities I inherited from my parents were to keep me in good stead as I settled into my middle and later years. From my mother I received my artistic ability and social acumen, and from my father my organizational and leadership capability. In Marco Island, I love the friends I’ve made and how I’m connected with this small but growing community, where I spend almost 40 hours a week in volunteer work. I miss every day contact with my children and grandchildren and they are never far from my thoughts and prayers. But one wants to feel needed and to be doing something constructive, so I contribute my time and energies to numerous boards and committees, manage a small store for my church, edit various local periodicals, play tennis and bridge to keep body and mind active, and travel a bit to expand my horizons. My life is full, and I am grateful, and I can’t think of a better life than this one.”