Barbara Ellen Smith Hudgins, age 77, went home to be with our Lord on Friday, July 30, 2010 at her home in Waxahachie, Texas. Her life was lived in service to Jesus Christ.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 PM Tuesday in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Charles Copeland officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home of Early. Visitation will be held from 6 – 8 PM on Monday at the funeral home.
She was born June 25, 1933 in Brown County the daughter of the late Josiah J. and Lavora Pittman Smith. She grew up in the Holder community and later graduated from Williams High School and later received her degree from Howard Payne University. While in college she met her one love and was later married to William “Bill” Hudgins in Ulysses, Kansas on July 7, 1954. They celebrated 56 wonderful years together.
Barbara was a teacher in several Texas public schools having taught at Palmer, New Castle, and later retiring from Round Rock ISD. Following retirement, she substituted in Brown County, Mills County, and several other area school districts. She also worked for the Teacher Retirement System for a number of years.
She had been a resident of Waxahachie for the past 3 ½ years moving from Early and was a faithful member of South Prong Baptist Church there. She had previously been an active member of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church at Holder.
She is survived by her husband Bill Hudgins of Waxahachie
A brother, Jerome Smith and wife Ruth of Brown County
A Sister, Dorothy Young and husband Terry of Gatesville
Three Children, Ryan Hudgins and wife Anna of Waxahachie
Ellyn Underhill and husband Aubrey of Frankston
Jeffrey Hudgins and wife Mitzi of Mountain City, Texas
Four Grandchildren, Allison Ballard and husband James
Robert Hudgins
Richard Hudgins and wife Brenda
And Megan Hudgins
She was blessed to also have 5 Great Grandchildren, Brennon, Kendal, Chandler, and Riley Ballard and Imagin Hudgins.
She will be missed deeply by all those who dearly loved her and by the many lives she touched.
