Ray Donald Hudson

Ray Donald Hudson, Sr. was born in Whitharral, TX, October 5, 1930, to Roxie Hilderbrand and Otho Lloyd Hudson, Sr., who were farmers, and into a family that already had 3 sons and 1 daughter. They moved to Austin and Ray graduated from Austin High School. He went into banking on Congress Ave. where he met the love of his life, Jerry Kennedy, who had also recently graduated from Austin High. They were married in 1949 and were together for the next 71 years, until his death on November 29, 2020 at the age of 90.

Their daughter, Jan, was born in 1950, and son, Jay, in 1956. Ray worked in banks, for the banking commission, in Austin, Houston, Wichita Falls, Austin again, Corpus Christi, then Austin again where Ray retired as President of Travis Bank & Trust in 1990. He designed and served as contractor for the family’s homes every time they moved; in retirement he worked with Charles Schuller to become a master builder and designed and actually built his home in Georgetown, where he and Jerry moved for their retirement. During retirement he also worked with his brother in a construction business and was healthy and happy for the next 30 years.

He loved his children and saw them well through their growing up and college years, continuing to help any way he could as they began families and businesses of their own. He was the best grandfather ever to his grandchildren. His home was always open to them and any of their friends. He was especially caring for his great-nieces Hannah and Heather, and their parents Julie & Steve Klaus. He regularly took the kids swimming, sightseeing around Texas, hunting & fishing, and was always up for treating them at any Bar-B-Que place in Central Texas. He was an honest man, with great integrity, a kind and welcoming personality, always there for any family members in their needs, or their friends, or the neighbors he talked with every day, or anyone he encountered in his businesses over the years. He was a member of University Presbyterian Church in Austin, where his son-in-law was the Pastor. Ray was a man of deep faith that he lived out in every way in his life. He was a veteran, having served at the time of the Korean War. He was a terrific UT Longhorn fan! Good stories will abound in the family forever, as they remember his goodness, his joy at living every day, and the responsible ways he taught us all. He never wanted to dwell in “the good old days,” because he believed the day we were living was the best day ever. His family will continue to live on with the best of him remembered in the joys that come for us each and every day.

Ray was the last of the Hudson brothers: Otho Lloyd, Jr., Roy Milton, and Clyde Audrey, who were all enlisted members of the U.S. Military. Ray’s grandfather, Edward Hudson, founded Hudson Bend, Texas. The parents of Ray’s grandmother, Jane Jolly, founded Jollyville, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, Jerry; his daughter Jan Hudson Berry and her husband Woody; his son Ray Donald Hudson, Jr. (Jay) and his wife Debra Peters; his granddaughter Kennedy Berry and her husband, Justin Martin; his grandson Christopher Berry; and his sister, Ruth Opal Hudson Helton and the numerous Helton clan.