Obituary for Martha Ann Hudson (Blackwood)
Martha Ann Blackwood Hudson of Cleveland passed away at her house surrounded by her family on November 12, 2021, at the age of 88. Martha Ann had courageously battled Parkinson's Disease for years prior to her death. Her family and friends were amazed at her will and determination in the fight against this cruel disease. She was a 1951 graduate of Cleveland High School. Martha Ann attended Snead State Junior College. She had also at one time been a writer for The Southern Democrat, the Blount County newspaper at that time. She worked at the Blount County Learning Center in Cleveland for 20 years. During her time there, she made a tremendously positive impact on the children in her care. Many of those children benefited greatly from the love and concern that "Mrs. Hudson" showed for them. Many of these children even maintained contact with her after she retired because they were so fond of her and appreciated how she had helped them. She would often slip money to children who didn't have the means to attend certain activities or even just for a snack. She would also often buy items that they needed when the need came to her attention. A great joy of her time at the Learning Center was her becoming very good friends with the ladies who worked with her. Those special friends remain close friends with each other today.
The most important job of Martha Ann - as she would tell you-was being a devoted wife to her husband, Roy, and a mother to her four daughters, Melissa, Meleah, Melinda (Sam), and Melanie. She was also often known to care for children in her home who were friends of her daughters. Martha Ann would wash their clothes for them, make their lunches, and send them to school. Some children faced difficult circumstances in their families and would not run away but "run to" Martha Ann and Roy's home for help. Memories have flooded our minds during this time of loss. Somehow this past week the 4 daughters of Roy and Martha Ann became the 4 little Hudson girls raised on the farm in Five Points, Alabama .. now 4 little girls with broken hearts. But they will pick themselves up, pull up those bootstraps and be strong as Roy and Martha Ann taught them. They will be strong for each other and the precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren...as Granny Ann would expect.
Martha Ann was known for her beautiful yard filled with lovely flowers and trees. She kept her yard and flower gardens immaculate, and people often drove by her home to admire the beauty. Her home was also always beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Martha Ann was a dedicated homemaker and was known for her impossibly clean home and numerous other homemaking skills. She could do it all: dean, iron, cook, can and freeze from the garden, tend to her beautiful flower beds, and raise four daughters. The amazing fact is she did them all very well- especially the cooking! She was even known to iron their socks!
It gave Martha Ann great joy to spend time helping with her four grandchildren when they were born. She not only helped us out with them while they were young but carried them home from school as they became school age. She was also a great help with them when it came to their homework. "Granny Ann" - as they call her - was a great believer in education, so the homework was completed before playtime or going to get ice cream. All the grandchildren and great grandchildren adored their "Granny Ann" and will miss her immensely.
Martha Ann was a current member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Cleveland. She was previously a long-term member of Cleveland First Baptist Church, where she helped with numerous vacation Bible schools and many other church activities. She often hosted pastors and evangelists and their families in her home for meals prior to revivals. The most important thing Roy and Martha Ann taught their girls was to love God and others.
Mrs. Hudson is survived by her four daughters Melissa Hudson, Meleah (Bobby) Davis, Melinda (Jeff) Walker, and Melanie (Wade) Whited; grandchildren Beth {Jason) Faust, Mark (Liz) Walker, Cate Ann Davis (fiance Wade Gardner), and Caleb Davis; great grandchildren Sara Beth and Abby Faust, Jake Walker, Colton Walker, and Alexis, Maddison, Abigail, and Sydney Hester.
Martha Ann is also survived by special nephews Doug (Brenda) Hill and Eddie {Libby) Hill as well as her first cousin Eva Jean (Marlin} Robertson. She was preceded in death by her husband Roy B. Hudson; parents Ed and Ida Blackwood; and sister Frances B. Hill.
Martha Ann will be missed by her family and friends beyond words. Her kind gentle spirit will live on in our hearts forever. Her services will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at the Blount County/ Cleveland Funeral Home with visitation from 11.00 to 1:00 and the funeral will be at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at the Cleveland Cemetery following the funeral. Rev. Bobby Davis and Rev. Edwin Hayes officiating and serving as pallbearers are Caleb Davis, Mark Walker, Jeff Walker, Wade Whited, Doug Hill, Eddie Hill, Ben Hill, Jason Faust, and Wade Gardner.
If individuals would like to contribute to Martha Ann's preferred charities or non-profit organizations in lieu of flowers you can make contributions to the following: The Alabama Baptist Children's Home, Disabled Veterans, and the Cleveland Cemetery Fund for Perpetual Care.
-obituary written by the family
The most important job of Martha Ann - as she would tell you-was being a devoted wife to her husband, Roy, and a mother to her four daughters, Melissa, Meleah, Melinda (Sam), and Melanie. She was also often known to care for children in her home who were friends of her daughters. Martha Ann would wash their clothes for them, make their lunches, and send them to school. Some children faced difficult circumstances in their families and would not run away but "run to" Martha Ann and Roy's home for help. Memories have flooded our minds during this time of loss. Somehow this past week the 4 daughters of Roy and Martha Ann became the 4 little Hudson girls raised on the farm in Five Points, Alabama .. now 4 little girls with broken hearts. But they will pick themselves up, pull up those bootstraps and be strong as Roy and Martha Ann taught them. They will be strong for each other and the precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren...as Granny Ann would expect.
Martha Ann was known for her beautiful yard filled with lovely flowers and trees. She kept her yard and flower gardens immaculate, and people often drove by her home to admire the beauty. Her home was also always beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Martha Ann was a dedicated homemaker and was known for her impossibly clean home and numerous other homemaking skills. She could do it all: dean, iron, cook, can and freeze from the garden, tend to her beautiful flower beds, and raise four daughters. The amazing fact is she did them all very well- especially the cooking! She was even known to iron their socks!
It gave Martha Ann great joy to spend time helping with her four grandchildren when they were born. She not only helped us out with them while they were young but carried them home from school as they became school age. She was also a great help with them when it came to their homework. "Granny Ann" - as they call her - was a great believer in education, so the homework was completed before playtime or going to get ice cream. All the grandchildren and great grandchildren adored their "Granny Ann" and will miss her immensely.
Martha Ann was a current member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Cleveland. She was previously a long-term member of Cleveland First Baptist Church, where she helped with numerous vacation Bible schools and many other church activities. She often hosted pastors and evangelists and their families in her home for meals prior to revivals. The most important thing Roy and Martha Ann taught their girls was to love God and others.
Mrs. Hudson is survived by her four daughters Melissa Hudson, Meleah (Bobby) Davis, Melinda (Jeff) Walker, and Melanie (Wade) Whited; grandchildren Beth {Jason) Faust, Mark (Liz) Walker, Cate Ann Davis (fiance Wade Gardner), and Caleb Davis; great grandchildren Sara Beth and Abby Faust, Jake Walker, Colton Walker, and Alexis, Maddison, Abigail, and Sydney Hester.
Martha Ann is also survived by special nephews Doug (Brenda) Hill and Eddie {Libby) Hill as well as her first cousin Eva Jean (Marlin} Robertson. She was preceded in death by her husband Roy B. Hudson; parents Ed and Ida Blackwood; and sister Frances B. Hill.
Martha Ann will be missed by her family and friends beyond words. Her kind gentle spirit will live on in our hearts forever. Her services will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at the Blount County/ Cleveland Funeral Home with visitation from 11.00 to 1:00 and the funeral will be at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at the Cleveland Cemetery following the funeral. Rev. Bobby Davis and Rev. Edwin Hayes officiating and serving as pallbearers are Caleb Davis, Mark Walker, Jeff Walker, Wade Whited, Doug Hill, Eddie Hill, Ben Hill, Jason Faust, and Wade Gardner.
If individuals would like to contribute to Martha Ann's preferred charities or non-profit organizations in lieu of flowers you can make contributions to the following: The Alabama Baptist Children's Home, Disabled Veterans, and the Cleveland Cemetery Fund for Perpetual Care.
-obituary written by the family