Joseph Dewayne Hudson

Joseph D. Hudson, 81, went home to be with Jesus on March 25, 2025, two weeks after suffering a stroke. Joe lived a life of independence, good health, and strong relationships with friends and family until the day he died. He was a true blessing to everyone around him.

Known by most as Joe, dad, and granddaddy, he made a lasting impression on everyone he met. He was a quick witted, dry, sweet, smart, and funny man that enjoyed working in his garage, riding motorcycles, and spending time with his family and friends. Since he was so talented, people came from everywhere asking him to fix, build, weld, or sew things for them. He was a master of all! He built and fixed everything until it was absolutely perfect but at a classic Joe pace, which wasn’t fast.

Joe was born on September 26, 1943. He was adopted at birth by his parents William Richard and Myrtle Hudson. While in high school he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After serving in the military, he started a job at Delta Airlines in Atlanta where he would work from 1968 until he retired in 1994. After retirement he ran his own upholstery business and quickly realized he was working harder after retirement than he was working for the airlines so he returned to Delta where he worked again until he retired the second time in 2001.

For over 20 years, Joe was the most familiar face at the Riverdale Chick-fil-A Dwarf House. He would eat two meals a day at Chick-fil-a and had a large Chick-fil-a family and many of his friends would come eat with him daily. They loved to hear his jokes, advice, and general commentary. Everyone knew his classic breakfast order of “two eggs over medium, grits no butter, crispy bacon, dry-white toast with two blackberry jams, and black coffee - Thank you very much”. If you went to the Riverdale Chick-fil-A, there was a good chance he would be sitting in his same barstool at the counter with a crowd gathered around him talking. He especially enjoyed eating dinner at Chick-fil-A with his good friend Miss T.

In 2016, he moved from Riverdale, GA to Bradyville, TN to the farm he bought in 1972. He moved in with his son, Lee, with plans to build a house of his own. Apparently, he enjoyed no longer living alone, because he never built a house, and loved every minute of living with Lee, Heather, and “the kids”.

If you couldn’t find Joe, he was probably sitting on the front porch drinking coffee, working in his shop while smoking a cigarette, or eating at Waffle House. The shop will never be the same without him and everything that breaks will never be fixed the right way again.

He is preceded in death by parents W.R. Hudson, Myrtle Pettite Hudson (Sealock), and Barnett Sealock, father-in-law & mother-in-law Lee & Elsie Lawrence, daughter-in-law Marianne Hudson.

He is survived by his son Richard “Lee” Hudson (Heather Hershman), Granddaughter Sydney Hudson, and three additional grandchildren Landon Hershman, Bella Hershman, and Abby Richards. Additionally, he is survived by two siblings that he first met in 2007. Joe was adopted and at the age of 64, he learned he had two biological siblings Kim Harwell (Layson) and Steve West (Jane) and he cherished having a newly found brother and sister. Two years ago, he also learned of another sister Pat Nelkin.

His family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. until 3:00 P.M. with funeral services to follow in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home, Saturday, March 29, 2025. Interment with military honors will follow at Amity cemetery.

Please join us at the Hudson residence after the service to celebrate the life of Joe Hudson. Dinner will be provided, Chick-fil-A, of course.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net to leave condolences and memories for his family.

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