Joseph Samuel Hudson

Joseph Samuel "Joe" Hudson, 71, died Sunday, March 2, 2014, in his residence in Lake Charles. Born in Oberlin, La., on March 7, 1942, to Sam S. and Mary V. Iles Hudson, he later moved with his family to Lake Charles in 1955 and graduated from Lake Charles High School in 1960. He attended McNeese State University where he was a member of the ROTC Rifle Team and was awarded the McNeese Varsity M in Rifle Marksmanship for the 1960-61 season and later attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Mr. Hudson served in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Chaffee, Ark; in Doyline, La. as part of the missile support for Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La.; Fort Belvoir, Va.; Thule, Greenland; and Austin, Tx. While in the army, he was a member of the U.S. Army Rifle Team. Before retiring, Mr. Hudson was the owner and operator of Acme Rentals, Inc., in Lake Charles, which had been started in Sulphur, La., by his father. While he was still active in the business, Mr. Hudson was involved in prisoner rehabilitation in the Work Release Program. He had served as a member of the City of Lake Charles Planning and Zoning Commission and had been Camping Chairman and served on the Board of Directors of Sowela Area Camp Fire Girls. He had been a member of the Sports Car Club of America and twice raced his car in the Cannonball Run. Also, he was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Surviving him are his five children, Mary Hudson of Baton Rouge; Meredith Hudson Gontard of Lyon, France; Alyce Hudson of Knoxville, Tn.; Joseph Iles Hudson of Lake Charles; and Molly Hudson of Houston, Texas. He was blessed with six grandchildren, Emily, Sarah and Molly Adams; Alexandra and Fitzwilliam Gontard; and Caroline Faulkner. Also surviving him are his mother, Mary Iles Hudson; his sister, Gay Hudson Arnold; his brother, Stephen W. "Steve" Hudson, all of Lake Charles; two nephews and a niece, and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his father. Memorial services will be Saturday, March 8, 2014, at 1:00 PM at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Monsignor James Gaddy will officiate. Military honors will conclude services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Rifle Association or the Camp Fire Council of Sowela.