Annabelle Welch Hudmon

Annabelle Welch Hudmon, age 90, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on September 7, 1935, in Shenandoah, Iowa, to Harold Steele Welch and Alice Buntz Welch. Annabelle was the youngest of three children, with a sister, Phyllis Jane Welch Schneider, and a brother, William Harold Welch. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 52 years, Dr. I. Stanton Hudmon, “Stan”.

Growing up in Shenandoah, Annabelle fondly recalled walking to school with Don and Phil Everly, who would later achieve fame as the Everly Brothers. Her family owned the local radio station, which played a significant role in launching their music careers. A gifted pianist, Annabelle was a two-time winner of the Iowa State Piano Competition, performing Brahms' Rhapsody in B minor for one of her award-winning pieces. She was also crowned Homecoming Queen during her senior year of high school.

Annabelle continued her education at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she earned an associate’s degree. She then attended the University of Nebraska, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

In 1957, Annabelle moved to Corona, California, to work at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory. In California, she met her future husband, Stan, who lived in the same apartment complex. The two were wed in 1958, beginning a marriage that would span more than five decades.

Following their wedding, Stan retired from the Air Force with the rank of captain and accepted a medical residency at the University of Iowa. During their time in Iowa City, Annabelle worked for the renowned physicist Dr. James Van Allen at the University of Iowa, assisting in the analysis of satellite data that led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts. This groundbreaking work brought Dr. Van Allen international acclaim, including a Time magazine cover and a Nobel Prize nomination.

In 1961, the couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida where Stan became a respected ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Baptist Hospital, serving the community for 35 years until his retirement in 1996. Annabelle became an integral part of the Jacksonville community. She was President of the Junior League of Jacksonville in 1974-75, an organization where she met many of her lifelong friends. In 1980, she played a key role in founding the professional women's tennis tournament at Amelia Island which for many years was known as the Bausch & Lomb Championships.

In the early 2000s, Annabelle took up competitive duplicate bridge and achieved the esteemed title of Gold Life Master. She played in numerous district, sectional, and national tournaments with her partner, Jerry Helms, a national bridge champion.

Annabelle is survived by her three children: Allison Hudmon Sheridan (Brian), Stanton Welch Hudmon (Becky), and William Scott Hudmon (Denise); and by five cherished grandchildren: Nancy Grace Hudmon, Stanton Charles Hudmon, William Scott Hudmon Jr., Brian Christopher Sheridan Jr., and Maxwell Welch Hudmon. She is also survived by her nieces Ann Shaver Hanes and Kendall Welch Daines; and nephews William P. Shaver, Jr. (Pat), Steve Schneider (Cindy), Dick Schneider (Mary) and Jon Welch (Momoko). Known lovingly as “Grammy”, Annabelle was deeply devoted to her family, and her warmth, wisdom, and nurturing spirit will be profoundly missed.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to her caregivers—Peaches, Emari, Debra, Chevon and Sebele—for their compassionate care and dedication which enabled Annabelle to spend her final years at home.

A private family graveside service will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery. A reception to celebrate Annabelle’s life will take place at Timuquana Country Club on Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Annabelle’s memory to the Junior League of Jacksonville or the Cummer Museum.