Noel Thomas Hudson, 80, of Huntsville, Alabama, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 1, 2026. Tom was born in Clewiston, Florida on August 5, 1946, to John Thomas and Ann Hadaway Hudson. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sharon Weems Hudson of Huntsville, AL; sister, Carole Carter (John) of Huntsville, AL; nephew, Matthew Carter (Katie) and their children, Max, Milo and Frankie; niece, Catherine Looser (Jon) and their children, Jon David and Anna; sisters-in-law, Patricia Furner of East Petersburg, PA and Dorothy Weems of Huntsville, AL; nephew, Ross Furner (Krissy) and their children, Nicholas, Maxwell and Madison of Lancaster, PA; godson, Colin Phillips (Brendan) of Tallahassee, FL; goddaughter, Lindsay Holloway (Chad) of Owens Cross Roads, AL; longtime dear friend, Stormy Dovers of Woodville, AL; and his beloved cat buddy, Hampton.
As a child Tom grew up in what he and his cousins called “the Valley”- the piney woods surrounding all the small textile mill towns along the Chattahoochee River on the border with the state of Georgia. The stories of the adventures Tom and his “pioneer scout” cousins (The Wild Bunch) tell make many of his loved ones wonder how any of them ever made it to adulthood.
Tom’s parents moved to Huntsville in the early 1960s with the promise of many good jobs thanks to Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Space Flight Center. Tom found the new big town amazing but Westlawn, his new school, was a bit of a challenge at first. He soon discovered the magic of studying and learned to enjoy creative writing. He went on to graduate from S. R. Butler High School where he played football for Coach Clem and enjoyed participating in Mr. Tedford’s Choral Group. After graduation Tom attended Samford University on football scholarship and eventually found a love for and great satisfaction in the art of drafting and illustration.
Tom served during Vietnam on the Destroyer USS Blue-DD744 accompanying Aircraft Carriers for most of his military career. He learned a great deal from various positions such as boiler mate, electrician, and took his turns at stealth approaches. It was also on the Blue that he developed his affinity for sardines in mustard with crackers. He was still in touch with two of his shipmates when he passed.
He continued his education at Alverson Draughn Business College, became certified, and went on to work in many capacities with companies that supported NASA. One of his proudest art pieces was his contribution to the Skylab Patch. As providence would have it, Tom met Sharon through her father who worked in the same building as Tom and hired him to illustrate a book her father was writing. When Sharon needed someone to help her with some charts for a class at UAH (called “Marriage and the Family”) he suggested Tom. As they say, the rest is history.
Tom’s career path took another turn after he and Sharon married in 1976 and moved to Birmingham where he pursued a degree in HVAC at Bessemer State Technical College. He excelled at this and went on to win The VICA Championship for the State of Alabama as the most promising HVAC major.
His work eventually brought him back to Huntsville where he enjoyed a 39½ year career at Huntsville Hospital. He loved the work, the environment and the dedicated employees he met. Many times, he often spoke of the privilege it was to work for such a large facility that was helping so many people. He enjoyed his work and the challenges it brought so much he didn’t retire until age 77. (Tom never could turn down a puzzling situation.)
Tom was a quiet, gentle man who deeply loved his family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and anyone else he got a chance to know. He loved animals all his life, and Tom and Sharon were never without a rescue or “few.” Children and animals took to him right away. He enjoyed nature photography and was a studious man; never without a Bible lesson he was studying. Tom was a gentle man of God; he was a kind, generous, loving, fun husband and friend to all. While we will miss him every moment, and though nothing can fill the void of his loss, we feel great joy for the peace and rest he now has with his Lord.
For those who wish to send a memorial in Tom’s name, contributions may be made to The Outreach Foundation, 381 Riverside Drive, Suite 465, Franklin, TN 37064; Greater Huntsville Humane Society, 2812 Johnson Road, Huntsville, AL 35805; or 8th Street Community, 305 8th Street, Huntsville, AL 35805.
