MILTON - Lydia Jane Hudson passed away peacefully Sept. 28, 2017, surrounded by her loving family.
Jane (Miss Lydia to many) was born in Harrington, to Agnes Curtis Welch and Arlie Camper Welch on Dec. 4, 1928. She attended Harrington Elementary School from 1934 to 1942, and later received her GED from the State of Delaware. She was so proud she fainted when she read her passing results. She later enrolled in several Delaware Technical and Community College classes alongside her youngest son, Mark, an experience he found….awkward. English literature was her favorite class, reflecting her life-long love of reading and books.
Jane always encouraged her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and assured them that they had no limits. She always had time for her family to come and talk or sort things out or bunk down for awhile. Generally quiet, she would occasionally aim her sharp wit or very honest opinion(s) in your direction. She cooked a great chicken and dumpling dinner and always found a way to provide her children with books, Christmas wishes, and seemingly out-of-reach opportunities.
In addition to her parents, Jane was preceded in death by her loving husband, James R. Hudson (Jimmy to all); her infant son, Robert Alan; sister, Marian Pleasanton; brother, Clarence Welch; half-brothers, Milton, Irving and Ervin Welch; and half-brother, Eugene Anderson.
Jane is survived by her son, Curtis J. Hudson and his wife Becky of Milford; daughter, Gayle Ritter and her husband Sonny of Milton; daughter, Chris Hoenen of Windham, Maine; and son, Mark and his wife Newlin of Sewickley, Pa.; grandchildren, Celeste Jones, Laura B. Hudson, Andrew Cassedy, Jennifer Workman, Joey Melvin, Zac Melvin, Leah Hoenen, Scarlett Hudson, James Hudson and Tyng Hudson; and great-grandchildren, Schylar Marvel, Derek Jones, Luke Workman, Seth Workman, Gracie Beth Workman, and Micah Workman, Atticus (AJ) Melvin and Finn Melvin, the newly-arrived Dylan Melvin, and Anders Hoenen-Arnberg and the newly-arrived Linnea Hoenen-Arnberg.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017 in the chapel of Short Funeral Services, 416 Federal Street, Milton, with visitation after 6 p.m. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to: Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, Del 19963 or Friends of the Milton Public Library, 121 Union Street, Milton, Del 19968.
The family would like to thank the staff at Harrison Senior Living in Georgetown, for the excellent care Jane received during her stay there. The compassion and kindness shown to her and her family, from the receptionist through to the administrator, was extraordinary and a made a trying situation better. Over the years, Amy Hodges, Michelle Savage, Elsa Yoesep, Karl Dry, Amy Swain, Sumbal Gulab, Marie Dorce, and Erica Hopkins were her primary caretakers and their humor, patience and skill were much appreciated.