Mr. James Albert "Dick" Hudson

The “cross man” is gone. James Albert (Dick) Hudson was born December 4, 1936, in Carthage, Texas, to the marriage of Jeff and Cammie (Mills) Hudson. He went home to be with his Savior on April 26, 2025. Dick graduated from Carthage High School and Kilgore College. He was a proud veteran of USAF. While stationed in Rapid City South Dakota, he was a radar technician on the F89J aircraft. Dick’s parents were devout Christian and instilled Christian values in their children from early on. He considered his conversion akin to a road to Emmaus experience rather than a road to Damascus event. He was a faithful member of the Christian Church in Longview, worshiping for 34 years at Woodland Christian and for 26 years at First Christian Church. Dick was very involved and taught Sunday School for over 42 years and held many offices. Dick was employed at Texas Eastman for 39 years, the entire time in Research and Development. He believed in hard and exact work and was intolerant of anything less. He took great satisfaction in serving as a mentor to the semester interns in the Co-op program offered by Eastman. He was a compulsive craftsman/hobbyist. He loved gnarled wood and large rocks of any kind. He was indebted to the nice people who supplied him with the wood for his work at no cost. Dick made and delighted in giving away literally thousands of hand crosses to strangers he met in restaurants, doctors offices, etc. He also gave away many creche, walking canes, wall crosses, and other “stuff”. Some of his work decorates classrooms and halls of First Christian Church. He never sold any of his work as that would have made his hobby a job and he felt he was retired. Dick was a moderate Republican. His hero was Ronald Reagan. In his mid-thirties he was Republican precinct chairman, Republican primary election judge at Ware school, and assistant election judge in the general election at Gregg County Courthouse. He was deeply distressed at how politics had devolved into a childish game of tit for tat. In this game there are no winners but the looser is our great nation. Dick was the youngest of 10 children and was the last to die. Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers and wives, Walter (Juanita), Joe (Gerry), Franklin (age 4), sisters and husbands Faye Needham, Anita Coffee (Cecil), Louise Stuart (Damon), Velma (age 18), and 2 unnamed infants. Surviving Dick are his wife and friend of 48 years, Betty Jo Magness, daughters and sons-in-law, Shannon Sasser and Tony, Sherri Ware and Jamie; granddaughters, Heather Davis and Jordan Ware; great grandson, Sutton Davis; and several nieces and nephews. On Saturday, May 3, 2025, a family graveside will be at Antioch Cemetery south of Carthage. The Memorial Service will follow at 2:00 at First Christian Church, 720 North 6th Street, Longview, Texas, with Rev. David Farmer officiating. Visitation will be before and after the service. If you have any of Dick’s work or share with him his love of Jesus Christ, consider a donation to First Christian Church, or hug a veteran.

Tributes

Mr. James Albert "Dick" Hudson

December 4, 1936 - April 26, 2025