The son of Paul and Elizabeth Gintert Hudson, Will Hudson was the last living graduate of Warren Township High School (OH) and graduated from Columbus State University in Columbus, GA with a B.S. degree.
Major Hudson enlisted in the US Army on his 18th birthday in 1942 and retired from the U.S. Army in 1966 after 23 years of military service.
During WWII (1943-1946), Hudson served in the South Pacific as a tank crewman with the 710th Tank Battalion attached to the 81st Infantry Wildcat Division and fought in Peleliu and later in the Philippines.
Hudson was recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict (1950-1951) and served as a 2nd Lt, Corp of Engineers as a combat engineer platoon leader. He then served as an OCS tank tactical officer at Ft. Belvoir, VA followed by flight school. He served in the Panama Canal Zone (Geodetic Survey), Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and at Rhine Main AFB, Germany as an Army Aviator.
In Vietnam (1965-1966), he was assigned to the 11th Air Assault Division Ft. Benning, GA, as a helicopter pilot, serving with the 1st Cav Division.
After retiring as a Major, Hudson was employed at Lummus Industries, Columbus, GA for 22 years as a project engineer and was listed on multiple US and European patents. He was a contract design engineer for 2 years and a primary inventor for a truck mounted plastic perforator crusher used for curbside pickups (U.S. patent #4987829). He was a three-time winner for Engineers National Awards Program sponsored by the Lincoln Foundation – The Lincoln Welding Company of Cleveland, OH.
He married Bettie J. Young of Warren, OH in 1948 (deceased in 1990) and Marion Finlaw in 1997 (deceased in 2010). Besides his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother Paul, sister Marjorie Hanek, and grandson David Hudson.
A conservative Christian, Hudson was proud of all his children and grandchildren. He is survived by two sons and three daughters: Larry D. Hudson, MD (Sandy) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Mark W. Hudson, CFP® (Rashmi) of Columbus, GA; Nancy D. Nola, RN NP (Mike) of Highlands Ranch, CO; Penelope J. Eucker, PhD (Bill) of Denver, CO, and Cynthia E. Parker (Scott) of Marietta, GA; eight grandchildren: Lea Hudson, John Paul Hudson (Natalie), Lt. Commander USN William Eucker, PhD (Barbara), Captain USA Thomas Eucker, Captain USAF Blake Hudson, MD (Allie), Avery Monthero (Ashish), Scotty (Cori) Parker, Andrew Parker; and seven great grandchildren: William August Eucker; Sandra Marie Hudson; Callahan, Brynlee and Raina Parker; and Lane and Noelle Hudson.
Our father would not have lived to 100 years and five months without the attention and respect of his caregivers who prayed and willingly helped him with anything he wanted, the professional care of the Columbus area medical team, the rapid responsiveness of Columbus Hospice that allowed us to bring him home, the love of his family, and more than anything, the Holy Spirit who Dad said was always with him. He went peacefully, surrounded by his loving family.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Wounded Warrior, Judicial Watch, or Columbus Hospice.
