Donald Charles Hudson

Donald Charles Hudson was born April 29, 1940, at Bellevue Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and passed away peacefully at his home in Norman on December 24th, surrounded by his loving family.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Don loved baseball and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He collected autographs from Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial while hanging around the dugouts at Forbes Field where the Pirates played. After joining the Navy Reserves at 17 and then the U.S. Navy at 18, he made his way to Oklahoma. He came to Norman for training and would stand outside the University of Oklahoma stadium and listen to the games, promising himself that one day he would be inside watching.

Don attended the University of Oklahoma where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1966. This is where his love for the university and OU football began. While serving in the Air Force overseas, he completed his MBA in 1972.

Don enjoyed a fulfilling career in the Air Force, stationed in Germany, England, and Texas before retiring in Norman after 21 years of service and beginning a second career at his beloved University of Oklahoma. Working as assistant to the dean of university libraries, he then achieved a second master’s degree in library and information studies from OU in 1989. This stage of life brought him some of his greatest loves: his adored Nancy, a passion for racquetball, and trips to Disney World with his growing family. Don retired in 2001 after 20 years with the university.

Don is survived by his wife of 37 years, Nancy, and five children: Mark Hudson (Hiroko Maekawa), Elizabeth Fry (Rev. Michael Fry), Kim Frakes (Scott), Haley Sherrard (Ben), and Meredith DeMerchant (Dan). He also leaves behind 13 cherished grandchildren: Jonathan Fry (Mia), Madeline Schultz (Michael), Andrew Fry, and William Fry (Michaela); Abby and Gavin Frakes; Blake, Cohen, and Price Sherrard; Olivia, Graham, Jack, and Cooper DeMerchant; plus one adored great-grandchild, Theodore Schultz. He is also survived by two dear nieces, Carolyn Acuff and Nancy Clayton (Ray). He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Florence, his younger brother, Billy, and his father and mother-in-law Clyde and Margaret Bradley.

The family would like to thank Dr. Tom Merrill and his nurse, Pam Levy, Dr. Kristin Thorp, and Dr. Dean Shipley, in addition to Good Shepherd Hospice and his wonderful caregiver Marissa Reed.

The funeral will be held on Monday, December 30, at 10:00 a.m. at McFarlin United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for donations to be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.