Dick Hudson
Pioneer A.T. hiker dies

Richard A. Hudson, 78, of Mountain Vale Village, Center Conway, died unexpectedly on September 13, 2011, while on a vacation trip at the Paradise Inn in Mountain Rainier National Park. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 18, 1933.

He is the son of Harry and Elizabeth Hudson, originally of Chicago, Illinois. He is survived by a sister, Jane Unger, of Cedar Lake, Indiana; a sister Betty Hudson, of Japan; three nieces and four nephews. Dick was a retired postman from Croton-on-Hudson, New York.

He was known and appreciated by family and friends as an avid hiker and mountain climber. He had expert knowledge of mountains all over the world and enjoyed conversing about hiking locations with anyone. He was a friendly and outgoing person if you were ever fortunate enough to have met him on the trail.

Some of his hikes and climbs include the following: Appalachian Trail, Catskill 3500, ADK 46er (46 Adirondack summits over 4,000 feet), High Sierra Trail, Mount Isle Royale, John Muir Trail, Everest Base Camp Nepal Trek, Mount Saint Helens, and New Hampshire 4,000 (46 summits over 4,000 feet) six times. He was especially fond of Mount Washington which he climbed many times.

He enjoyed pipe organ music immensely and collected many organ records and CD’s and attended numerous concerts. He was also considered to be an excellent cook by those who had the privilege of enjoying his meals.

Dick Hudson was a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club of Boston, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the Yosemite Conservancy.

A celebration memorial service is being held at Cedar Lake, Indiana, on September 25 where Dick spent most of his early years.