Mack Hudson

Benson, NC:  Mr. Mack Reid Hudson, age 86, of 3068 Ebenezer Church Road died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday. Funeral services will be 11:00AM Saturday at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church .  Officiating will be Rev. Jason Hammersley.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Mr. Hudson was preceded in death by his parents, the late Bernard & Naomi Stewart Hudson. He was also preceded in death by a son, Michael Reid Hudson; and sister, Elizabeth (Lib) H. Nordan. He is survived by wife of 66 years, Juanita Ogburn Hudson; son, Kent Hudson & wife, Jaroslava, of Cary; grandchildren & spouses, Jason Hudson, Brad & Jessica Hudson, all of Austin, TX, Kent Hudson, Jr. & Kristine Coco of San Francisco, CA, Heather H. & Ryan May of Apex, and Kelsey Hudson of Cary; and four great- grandchildren, Makayla, Bailey, and Hudson, the children of Heather May, and Sawyer, the daughter of Brad Hudson. Mack Reid Hudson was born October 24, 1928 on the family farm located at Bailey’s Crossroads.  At the age of four, he moved with his family into the home where he lived for the balance of his life.  Growing up in the Great Depression on a farm taught Mack the strong work ethic and discipline that shaped his life.   At an early age, Mack learned to operate the family cotton gin and store.  Completing high school in the late stages of WWII, he attended Oak Ridge Military Academy where he was recognized as the outstanding scholastic cadet.  With the end of the war, Mack returned to the family farm which he operated until he retired.  In August, 1949, Mack married Juanita Ogburn who gave birth to their two sons, Michael Reid in 1951 and Kent Ogburn in 1953.  Mack always believed in striving for the greater good and contributing to his local community.   He was a lifelong member and strong supporter of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church.   He served on the local school board and later as a Commissioner of Harnett County.  As a member of Kiwanis, he was actively involved in numerous charity programs with his favorite being the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina.   Through his never ending support of his wife’s goodwill efforts, he contributed to the North Carolina 4H programs including the History Center at Millstone Camp.   His belief that learning from the past teaches us about the challenges of the future led him to contribute to the creation of the Coats Museum. Mack believed it an honor to be a farmer as a life profession and was the recipient of the Coats Chamber of Commerce Farmer of the Year award.   More recently he was the given the honor of being the Grand Marshall for the Farmer’s Day celebration.   After retiring from active farming, Mack worked endlessly to transform the farm into his legacy in a manner which encourages the family to keep the farm for another century or two.    Mack’s favorite hobby late in life was traveling to explore the world.  He and his wife enjoyed many international trips with his favorite trips being to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, Spain and Italy.   He and his wife, usually accompanied by friends from the community, enjoyed countless trips across the United States and Canada with Lake Louise, Alberta and the national parks of the US southwest being his favorites.   As a lifelong learner, he enriched the lives of family and friends by always exploring new ideas and views on the world we live in.   Mack enjoyed a wonderful marriage with Juanita Hudson for over 66 years.   He never deviated from his strong Christian beliefs, his family values and his belief in the greater good.   He will be forever missed by his family, friends, and community. Family will receive friends at the home from 4:00PM to 8:00PM Friday. Flowers are welcomed; however, memorials may be made to Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina, P.O. Box 127, Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450.