Dr. James B. Hudson, 91, died on January 11, 2019, surrounded by his devoted family.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3PM at Sacred Heart Cultural Center with a reception following, the location of which will be announced.
Born in Brooklyn, NY on September 23, 1927, to Alfred Weller Hudson and Bernice Lawson Bloomer, both of NYC, he was proud to have been named after Captain James Hudson of Newburyport, MA, who in 1774, was the first to form a Marine Company to fight in the Revolution.
Jim’s deep and abiding love of the outdoors was cultivated during his youth, with summers spent skating on New Jersey lakes, hiking and camping in the mountains of New England, and paddling on extended canoe trips in New York and Vermont. He attended NY city schools, and eventually Dartmouth college, where at 18, he enlisted in the Army and served as a Medical Technician for two years. He attended Boston University School of Medicine and was appointed to a position on the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia in 1961.
Jim completed fellowships in infectious disease and nephrology at Boston University. At MCG (now Augusta University) he was the first chief of Nephrology, the study of diseases of the kidney, and practiced there until his retirement in 1990. He was known for the exquisite care of his patients and the carefully crafted progress notes, written almost in calligraphy, that succinctly and perfectly described the patient’s problem and his plan of care. He started the dialysis program, the kidney transplant support service and the fellowship in nephrology.
In 1958 he married Janet Gallo of Herkimer, NY with whom he had three daughters, and ultimately nine granddaughters. After Jan’s death, he met and married Pat Knox Hudson, of Lookout Mountain, TN, increasing his family by 3 children and 7 grandchildren, all of whom loved him dearly.
Jim was an avid reader and historian. A lifelong environmentalist and hiker, he was a founding member of the Savannah Waterways Forum, a group formed to save the historic Augusta Canal which is now a National Heritage Area. Jim was an enthusiastic photographer and cherished his photos of hikes throughout the Sierra mountains. He was a lover of music. He wrote poetry and delighted in watching sunsets from the window of his study. He built birdhouses for his beloved bluebirds and tenaciously worked to improve his (terrible) golf game. He was an amateur astronomer who knew the heavens well and couldn’t resist the allure of a clear night. He was well loved and will be greatly missed.
In addition to his wife, Pat, Jim is survived by Debbie Hudson Wood of Travelers Rest, SC; Betsy Hudson Eisenmann of Shrewsbury, MA; Cathy Hudson Paradise; Julie Knox Lirette and Peter Seymour Knox of Augusta; David Allan Knox of Isle of Palms, SC; and Atti Knox of Augusta. Jim also leaves his brother, Chuck Hudson of Unity, NH.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Yosemite Conservancy by emailing [email protected] or by calling 415-434-1782.