Mr. Herbert “Hudley” Richard Crockett, age 89, of Rockvale, Tennessee passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2022. He was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee on November 19, 1932, to the late Thompson and Rachel Spence Crockett. Hudley moved to Nashville at an early age and attended Austin Peay State University briefly and the Tennessee School of Broadcasting before beginning his broadcasting career.
Hudley worked for radio stations in North Carolina, New Mexico, and Alabama where he was selected as the 1955 Alabama Sportscaster of the Year. He returned to Nashville in 1956 as Sports Director of WSIX Radio and Television to broadcast a wide range of high school and college games.
In 1961, Hudley moved to Television News Director at WSIX-TV. During this time, in addition to broadcasting daily local news at 5pm and 10pm, he served as a regional correspondent for ABC Television carrying out special assignments in Latin America and Europe.
In 1966, he joined Buford Ellington’s gubernatorial campaign and served in Ellington’s cabinet from 1967 through 1971 as News Secretary and Special Assistant to the Governor. Hudley was actively engaged in the state’s industrial development program and was appointed as the Governor’s Special Representative to the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Authority.
In 1968, Hudley was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to the Federal State Telecommunications Advisory Commission and was later elected to the Commission’s Executive Committee. During that time, Hudley had the opportunity to work with the staffs of President Johnson and Vice President Humphrey in organizing their frequent visits to Tennessee.
In 1970, Hudley resigned from state government in order to seek the Democratic Nomination for the United States Senate challenging Senator Albert Gore, Sr. but was narrowly defeated. In 1971, Hudley formed Crockett and Associates specializing in regional economic and water resource development. In 1974, he ran for governor of Tennessee in a crowded field of 12 candidates. After losing another close race, he returned to a business career.
Crockett and Associates was incorporated and expanded to include the creation of three nationwide video tape training and marketing networks for banks, credit unions, and the National Association of Accountants with outlets in all 50 states, Canada, and Australia. In recognition of Hudley’s expertise and many endeavors in the field of journalism, he was inducted to the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame in 2016.
Hudley was a member of the Richland Country Club since 1971. He was also a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church having been involved at Blakemore United Methodist Church and Farris Chapel United Methodist Church.
After retiring, Hudley and his wife divided their time between Nashville and their Rutherford County farm with frequent family gatherings and trips including their six children, 16 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. One of their favorite pastimes was to organize family charter bus trips across the country including Washington, D.C., Florida, The Alamo and Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, the Grand Canyon, Wyoming, Colorado, and St. Louis.
Hudley is survived by his six children, Cathy Finney and her husband Mike, Carol Wendell, Ken Crockett and his wife Melanie, Chris Clarke and her husband Gary, Connie Weisner and her husband Rick, and Karlin Brazzell; 15 grandchildren, Shannon Donnelly and her husband Joey, Michelle Sparkman and her husband Todd, Lauren Hartman and her husband Richard, Brad Finney, Andrew “AJ” Wendell and his wife Rachel, Rachel Suitt and her husband Wesley, Charlie Crockett and his wife Caroline, Thom Crockett, Anne Campbell Crockett, Jason Clarke and his wife Courtney, Jennifer Newman and her husband Tyler, Katie Egan and her husband Jack, Annie Weisner and her husband Adam Hill, Molly Cornell and her wife Rhiannon, and Murphy Brazzell; and 21 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Patricia “Pat” Ann Tiesler Crockett, and grandson, Brian Finney.
Visitation with the family will be Monday, April 18, 2022, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 11:00 am at Farris Chapel United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Yeargan Cemetery.
