Richard A. Hudson Sr. 65, of Orange, died Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.
Funeral service will be 11 am Tuesday, October 28, 2008 in the chapel of Broussard’s in Nederland with Brother Ray Walston officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches under the direction of Broussard’s in Nederland. A gathering of family and friends will be from 5 to 8 pm Monday, October 27, 2008 at the mortuary.
Mr. Hudson was a native of Port Arthur and spent his childhood in Spurger and graduated from Spurger High School. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1962 and was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas where he met the love of his life, Dot, to whom he was married 43 years. He was discharged from the Air Force in 1965 after being stationed at Elmondorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska where he was a crew chief on C-130 transport planes. Mr. Hudson enjoyed a very prolific career with Texaco beginning in March of 1967 where he started in the laboratory. He was quickly promoted and rose through the ranks to hold several positions including Chief Chemist of the product control labs in Bayonne, New Jersey as well as Coordinator of Contract Operations in Houston, Texas.
Mr. Hudson traveled extensively for Texaco working in Tulsa, Oklahoma, New Orleans, Louisiana and Chicago, Illinois among other places, where he was a troubleshooter helping to fix any problems that arose. Mr. Hudson later was promoted to Coordinator of Plant Operations where he assisted plants in all aspects of plant operations. He was promoted to Assistant Manager of plant operations in 1989 and in 1995 was named manager of Plant Operations where he oversaw operations of 6 Texaco plants and 37 contract plants. It was during this time that Mr. Hudson worked at Texaco’s largest lubricant plant in Galena Park, Texas as Plant manager where he assisted in alleviating some union and racial problems. This aspect of his career would start him on his journey to becoming a friend and a voice for minorities and women within Texaco’s employment wherein he was the director that lead the group to set up the minority business council for Texaco USA, working in the capacity of Staff Coordinator, Plant Operations and Minority and Women Business Coordinator for Texaco Lubricants Company, North America. During this time Mr. Hudson authored and published the “Texaco Lubricants Company Minority Brochure” which educated Texaco employees on minority business purchasing and provided minority businesses with a how-to of doing business with Texaco Lubricants Company. This position earned him a Who’s Who in Minority Business Magazine.
Upon retirement from Texaco in August of 1998 Mr. Hudson became a consultant for plant operations for Texaco-Europe in Antwerp, Belgium. He then was recruited by Caltex and became General Manager of Operations throughout all of China and Hong Kong overseeing operations of 4 plants and 6 warehouses. After retirement and traveling the world extensively, he and Dot returned to the Golden Triangle which they had always considered their home.
Mr. Hudson is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Dot, of Orange; sons, Richard A Hudson Jr. of Beaumont and Brian Hudson of Orange; brothers, Harry Doyle of Port Arthur and Charles Hudson of Spurger; sister, Maureen Bottoms of Silsbee and his father and mother in law, Howard and Arlene Johnston of Orange. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. Mr. Hudson was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Millie Hudson and his sisters Mavie “Babe” Dickey and Rosalyn Richardson.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Hudson’s memory may be directed to the American Kidney Foundation 6110 Executive Blvd. Ste. 1010 Rockville, Maryland 20852.
