Walter Lloyd Hudson, Jr. MD died on Thursday, July 2, 2020, at his home. A celebration of his life will be held at 11am on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at Parkhill Cemetery with the Reverend Tim Graham, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, officiating. In keeping with the guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19, the family will have a private graveside service. The service will be livestreamed through the Facebook page of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary at Parkhill Cemetery for those wanting to view the service from the safety of their home.
Dr. Hudson was a man of purpose who set his life goals when he was very young and was able to achieve most of those goals. His own pediatrician was Dr. William C. Cook, the doctor who directed his care when in the third grade he was very sick with measles and pneumonia. While he was sick, Dr. Hudson decided he wanted to be a pediatrician just like Dr. Bill. Therefore, after graduating from Darlington High School in Rome, Georgia, he went to Emory University in Atlanta to study pre-med. He was pleased to be a member of the Kappa Alpha Order there and formed lifelong friendships while at Darlington and Emory.
Dr. Hudson graduated from the Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina and served his pediatric internship and residency at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. After completing his internship at Grady Hospital, he served as Chief Resident in Pediatrics under Dr. Joseph Patterson at Henrietta Egleston Hospital for Children in Decatur. During his internship year, he met Nell Higdon whom he married in 1965. They lived for three years at Fort Huachuca, Arizona where Dr. Hudson served his country as a major in the United States Army. While in Arizona, he became the proud father of twin sons, Walter Lloyd Hudson, III and James Frost Riley Hudson.
Upon completion of his military duty, he realized his goal of returning home to Columbus, where he practiced pediatrics for forty-five years and gave his life and heart healing and watching over the well-being of several generations of children in Columbus and the surrounding areas. Always an advocate of children, Dr. Hudson helped form Pediatric After Hours and was an active member of the Board of Columbus Regional Medical Foundation as well as the Children’s Hospital Strategic Planning Committee. In 2015, Midtown Medical Center dedicated its new Pediatric Inpatient Unit in the Children’s Hospital and named it for Dr. Hudson. He was also instrumental in founding the Ronald McDonald House and served on its board for many years.
Dr. Hudson was a lifelong member of Trinity Episcopal Church. He enjoyed gardening in his yard and puttering around in antique shops and junk shops. He is survived by his wife, Nell; his sons, Walter and his girlfriend, Angela Rubbo, of Raleigh, NC, and Frost and his wife, Carroll, of Columbus. He is also survived by his sister in law, Jane Higdon McLendon and husband Bobby McLendon of Blakely; his brothers in law, Bobby Higdon and Joe Higdon and wife Deborah, all of Bainbridge; a niece, Stella McLendon Smith and husband, Andy; and nephews, Rob McLendon and wife, Donielle, all of Blakely; and Joe Higdon, Jr. and Jim Higdon of Bainbridge.
The family would like to thank his faithful caregivers, Arthur Bass, Tabatha Daymon, and Barbara Early, and Columbus Hospice for their wonderful care.
In lieu of flowers his family asks that friends consider remembering Dr. Hudson with gifts to the Piedmont Columbus Regional Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network, 707 Center Street, Suite 100, Columbus, GA 31901 or Trinity Episcopal Church, 1130 First Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901.
