William Earl Hudson

William “Doc” Earl Hudson, 93, of Simmons in Live Oak County, Texas, departed this life early Wednesday morning, December 21, in New Caney, Texas. He crossed over Jordan at 3 AM to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His wife, Mary Jane Brister-Hudson, preceded him August 11, 2016.

Known by several different sobriquets, i.e., “Doc” by his close friends and “oil patch” coworkers; “Earl” by his siblings; “Uncle Bill” by nieces, nephews, and relatives; “Daddy” by his children, while grand- and great grandchildren affectionately called him “granddaddy.” He was loved and respected by all and will be dearly missed.

“Bill” was born to Forrest Henry and Lola Lee (Beard) Hudson in Kountz County, Texas, October 23, 1923. The family moved to Simmons in early June of 1925 where his father established a farm and Bill attended elementary and intermediate school. Transferring to high school in Three Rivers where he excelled in basketball, a lifetime passion, Bill graduated in 1941.

Immediately following the December 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bill joined the Army Air Corps December 29. Pilots and gunners rotated home after 50 missions. Bill flew 51 bombing missions over Nazi Germany as a turret gunner on A-20 and A-26 attack aircraft. Near the end of his tour, he volunteered for a hazardous mission to strafe and drop fragmentation bombs on a retreating German military convoy, his badly damaged airplane was the only one to return. Landing the plane at Luxembourg, the pilot and Bill were transported to General Vandenberg’s office for a debriefing. Bill chose never to fly again following his discharge from the service as a Staff Sergeant June 16, 1945.

Returning home to Simmons, Bill went to work on an oil drilling rig. Though he refused to fly, he worked 90 feet up in the derrick racking pipe. Quickly he moved to driller. After a 5-year interval at La Gloria Oil and Gas refinery in Falfurrias, Texas, he returned to oil exploration, advancing to tool pusher – managing oil drilling rig operations until his retirement.

He met and married Mary Jane Brister of Pleasanton, Texas, December 29, 1945, commemorating the day in 1941 when he joined the Army Air Corps. Together they raised five children, one boy and four girls.

William Earl Hudson was preceded in death by his father Forrest Henry Hudson, his mother Lola Lee Beard, three sisters and four brothers and two daughters Linda Dorene McGeorge and Janis Elaine Tuttle and son-in-law Robert O. McGeorge.

He is survived by son Richard Earl “Hud” Hudson (Janis) of Keller, TX, and two daughters, Phyllis Ann Boerm of Kingwood, TX and Teresa Lee Bogeman (John) of Kingwood, TX, son-in-law Billie J. Tuttle of Tyler Texas, grandchildren, Pamela Lynn Valenti, Scott Allan Hudson (Tonya), Jason Wayne Hoover (Meredith), Bradley Don Hudson (Billy Jo), Daniel Eugene Hoover (Carla), Shelley D’Ann Carroll (Brian), Jennifer Laine Selph (Michael), Shanna Michele Averre, Randall Shane Hudson, Rodney Royce Boerm (Heather), Dana Andrew Hudson (Kari Ann), Valerie Lea Ann Tooke (Chris), Jonathan Ryan Hudson (Lois), Kathryn Marie Graham (Tarrance), Jessica Lee Averre, Randy Dyllon Fomby, Christian Dominick Fomby, step-grandsons, Boyd Craig Bing (Jeanne), Donald Kevin Bing (Kim), Aaron Douglas Bing (Brandi), and 36 great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.

Pallbearers are: Michael Selph, Rodney Boerm, Jason Hoover, Daniel Hoover, Kevin Valenti, and Jonathan Selph.

Visitation is set for 5-8:00 PM Wednesday December 28, 2016.

Funeral Service and burial at Brookside Chapel Thursday December 29, 2016, 2:00 PM with Pastor and nephew David Hudson of Victoria, TX, officiating. Reception following memorial service at 19134 Milloak Drive, Kingwood 77346.

Services are under direction of Brookside Funeral Home and Cemetery, 13747 Eastex Fwy, Houston, TX 77039.

We thank the caretakers at Total Loving Care in New Caney and Altus Hospice for the truly loving care and support they gave our “Daddy” in his final days.

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