Barbara "Bobbye" J. Hudson

Barbara “Bobbye” J. Hudson, loving wife and mother, passed from this earth on August 29, 2010. She is survived by her husband and 2 children. Bobbye was born Barbara Jean Hickinbotham in 1926 to Mona Bell (Kelley) and Roy Washington Hickinbotham in the community of Melrose, Kansas. Her father worked in the mines and old fields, moving the family to various towns in Kansas and Oklahoma. In 1943, Bobbye graduated from Fredonia High School. The Hickinbothams purchased a family farm and settled in the area of Barnsdall Oklahoma in 1944. Bobbye followed her family and worked for various companies including Phillips Petroleum. In 1951 she married John G. Hudson and eventually settled in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Bobbye and John had 2 children, Preston Roy Hudson of Fort Smith and Karen Sue Hudson of Memphis, Tennessee. Bobbye was blessed with three grandchildren: Jake Hudson (wife Victoria) of Fort Smith; Valerie Garcia (husband Eric) of Bakersfield, California; and Amanda Hudson (husband James Appell) of Tampa, Florida. In addition to her grandchildren, Bobbye leaves behind 5 beautiful great grandchildren and two younger sisters, Gracie Sanford of Barnsdall, Oklahoma and Dora Davis of Nowata, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by both parents and one older sister, Betty Nadine Forrest. Bobbye was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. The size of her heart was matched only by the love of her family. Bobbye’s family feels a tremendous loss at this time but knows that she is in the home of her Lord where she is happy and healthy.

Services will be 10:00 am Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with a 3:00 pm graveside Wednesday at the Union Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Arkansas. Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5:30pm until 7:00 pm at Edwards Funeral Home, 201 N. 12th, Fort Smith, AR.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House at 3324 South M, Fort Smith, AR 72903.

To place an online tribute or directions to Edwards Funeral Home, please visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com