Joseph H Dudley

Joseph H. (Joe) Dudley, of Richardson, TX, passed away on August 4, 2011, after a brief illness. Born in Pittsfield, MA, on May 21, 1933 he was a devout Catholic, a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Joe married Marie E. (Betsey) McCormick on July 18, 1964, in Pittsfield, MA. He leaves his loving wife and best friend, Betsey, along with three wonderful daughters and sons-in-law, together with six beautiful grandchildren: Karen M. Craig and her daughters Anastasia and Abigail, all of The Woodlands, TX; Ann E. King and her husband, Mark, and their sons Kyle and Jack, all of Flower Mound, TX; and Gail M. Keller and her husband, Mark, and their son, Glenn and daughter Natalie, all of Arlington, TX. Joe also leaves behind his sister Mary T. Contenta as well as several special nieces and nephews.

Joe graduated from St. Michael’s College in Winooski Park, VT, with a degree in Business Administration. At St. Michaels’s, Joe played varsity baseball for three years and was team captain in his senior year. He was on the Student Council for two years, Freshman Class Secretary, Senior Class Treasurer and was chosen to be in “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities” in his senior year. He attended Pace University in New York City and majored in Tax Law. Prior to college, Joe spent three years in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Fleet Marine Force during the Korean War, and attained the rank of Sergeant. He worked for General Electric in Pittsfield, MA, for three years, for Union Carbide Corp. in New York City for six years, and Mobile Oil Corp. for twenty six years. At Mobile he was: Eastern Regional Tax Manager in Philadelphia, PA, from 1966 to 1968; Chemical Regional Tax Manager in Richmond VA, from 1969 to 1971; and Senior Tax Negotiator in Dallas, TX, from 1972 until his retirement in 1992. He was a past member of the Taxation Committees for the State Chambers of Commerce in Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He was a past member of the State Taxation Committee for the American Petroleum Institute and the Tax Executives Institute. He became a dual United States Patent Holder at the age of 72. He was a communicant of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Richardson and was a volunteer in the Church’s Meals on Wheels program. He had previously been active as a Neighborhood Crime Watch Coordinator, and a former volunteer at the Interfaith Housing Coalition. Joe was an avid golfer and was a member of the Canyon Creek Country Club in Richardson. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, John R. and Marie C. (Mahoney) Dudley, of Pittsfield, MA. and his son John Edward Dudley of Princeton, NJ., also by his loving brothers, John F. Dudley, of Stuart, FL, and Daniel M. Dudley of Pittsfield, MA. Visitation will be at Sparkman Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, August 8th.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on August 9th, 2011 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Richardson. Those who wish may contribute to the Mt. Marie Health Care Center, 34 Lower Westfield Road, Ste. 1, Holyoke. MA 01040-2739, or to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX 75219-3993. We will all remember him for his love, caring, guidance, generosity, laughter and being “the wind beneath our wings.” We know that he is resting in God’s sight and sending us his “Butterfly kisses.”