Billy Hudson Obituary, Death – Billy Hudson, who served as a state senator for a total of three terms, passed away. At the time of his passing, Hudson was carrying out his duties as the Tax Collector for Forrest County. After serving in the Mississippi Legislature for a total of twelve years, he ran for and won the election for the county seat in 2019. We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Tax Collector Billy C. Hudson and do so with a heavy heart. The office of the Tax Collector said in a statement that Mr. Hudson was a well-known businessman in our community who devoted his retirement years to serving the public.
“He served as Forrest County District 5 Supervisor for two terms, and then he went on to serve as President of the Board of Supervisors for four years.” He was first elected to the position of Mississippi State Senator for District 45 in 2007, and he remained in that position for a total of 12 years. In 2019, he made the decision to go back to his hometown of Hattiesburg and ran for the office of Tax Collector.
He did this because he wanted to be able to provide a more personalized, one-on-one level of service to the people who voted for him. Mr. Hudson took great satisfaction in helping his fellow citizens improve both their lives and their circumstances through service to the community. He worked hard to make Forrest County a better place for everyone, and he will be greatly missed for his efforts.
From 2008 until 2019, Hudson served as the State Senator for the 45th District, which includes all of Forrest and Perry counties. In 2019, he made the decision not to seek reelection to the position. He was a supporter of the Republican Party and during the majority of his time in office, he presided over the Senate Agriculture Committee while also holding the position of Vice Chair for County Affairs.
On June 16, 1938, Hudson was brought into the world. In 1957, he was a student at the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Arizona, and Perkinston Junior College all simultaneously. His professional experience includes working as a rancher and previously serving as the CEO of Hudson Salvage. He also has experience in the construction industry. In addition to those roles, Hudson was an alderman for the city of Magee and a member and chair of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors.
Together with his wife Barbara, Senator Hudson made their home in Hattiesburg. They were blessed with five children and a large number of grandchildren. Several members of Congress and Hudson’s coworkers have commented on the news of his death and offered their condolences. You can find some examples of those that follow:
“Billy Hudson was a good man who spoke for or against with strong conviction what he believed to be right or wrong in the Mississippi Legislature. He did this while serving in the Mississippi House of Representatives. Because of that, I will never stop respecting him. – Angela Hill, State Senator, on the social networking site Facebook.
“It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of a close friend of mine, Senator Billy Hudson, today. Billy was an honest and dedicated public servant, and both his leadership in Forrest County and his friendship will be sorely missed by those who knew him. Sending our thoughts and prayers to Mrs. Barbara Hudson and the rest of the Hudson family. Joey Fillingane, who serves as a state senator.
“The news of Mr. Billy Hudson’s passing has left each of us with heavy hearts. Not only was Mr. Hudson my boss, but I also thought of him as a grandfather. He devoted his entire life to serving the people of Forrest County and making sure that they were successful. He was a devout and godly man. He would begin each day by reading the Bible, and then he would share a verse with me that he had just finished. He felt a deep sense of fulfillment from his work for Forrest County and from the ability to assist others.
Even though I’ve known him my whole life and have been very close to him, our connection has grown even stronger over the past three years thanks to the fact that we’ve been seeing and talking to each other almost every day. Although we didn’t always agree with each other (he put the blame on me for that because I’m a millennial), we were able to collaborate effectively as a team. He was an important figure in my upbringing and was instrumental in shaping who I am today. When things got difficult, we helped keep each other motivated to keep going, and when things got easier, we brought each other back down to earth.
Together, we spent countless hours watching baseball and football, and who can even guess how much time we spent discussing politics? The world won’t be the same without him, but I have no doubt that he made the most of the time he had. His legacy will endure for all of eternity. — Zac Howell, who works in the office of the Tax Collector in Forrest County.