Raymond Hudson

raymond hudson
Ray's service will be livestreamed below at 2:00 PM Monday, December 7, 2020. https://vimeo.com/event/534404 Raymond O. Hudson, 87, Fargo, ND, formerly Colfax, ND passed away Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at his home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley. He was born December 14, 1932 on the home farm to Fred & Marie (Score) Hudson. He was baptized & confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Colfax, ND. He attended Nansen School Room #2 until 8th grade. He graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1950. He then returned to the family farm to follow in his father’s footsteps of ranching & farming. On March 13, 1966 he married Marlys (Sperling) Hudson at First Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. They made their home on the Hudson family farm southwest of Colfax, ND where they had three children, Melissa, David, and Heidi. Ray lived on the farm until their move to Fargo 8 years ago. Ray enjoyed life to the fullest. He was an active member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, Colfax Fertilizer Plant, Colfax Farmers Elevator, Soil Conservation and Richland #44 School Board. In May of 1979, he obtained his pilot's license and acquired his single engine airplane. Ray used his plane to oversee his fields and fly his family to Battle Lake during the summer. Ray was a wonderful Grandpa to his 9 grandchildren. He would take at least one wherever he went, be it to the elevator, nursing homes, mowing the grass or out to eat. They were always by his side. When it came to them, he made everything possible. He was not only generous to his family, but to his neighbors and community as well. He had many other passions; one being skiing, both water and snow. He built his cabin at Star Lake over 60 years ago. Many remarkable stories about his waterskiing abilities have been told. He enjoyed numerous winter ski trips out West. He also had an inventors' mind and heart and always dreamed of bigger and better things. He was beyond his time with many of his projects and dreams. Ray loved to give out Atomic Fireballs and Big Red Gum to all youth in and out of church. He is survived by his children, Melissa (Michael) Smilonich, Columbus, Ohio; David Hudson, Edina, MN; Heidi (Tanner) Foley, Colfax, ND; grandchildren, Marianna, and Marshall Smilonich; Mariah and Caeleb Hudson; Jayden, Jazzlin (Tanner), Jett, Jaci and Jozie Foley. Brother Loran Hudson, Milnor, ND; sister Joyce (Alton) Leedahl, Benson, MN and many nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his wife Marlys, parents, sisters Marjean Miller, Edna Hudson and Ruth Hahn. Visitation will be Sunday, December 6th from 1:00-3:00 PM at Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo, ND. A private family funeral will be on Monday, December 7th at 2:00 PM. Live stream will be available at 2:00 PM on Raymond’s page on the Boulger Funeral Home website. Burial will take place at Our Savior’s Lutheran Cemetery, Colfax, ND. A special thanks to Jayden Foley, for his devotion in taking care of his grandfather full time, the last two years. Also, thank you to Hospice of the Red River Valley, for the excellent care he was given during his final days.

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  1. Ray was a special person at every stage of his life. I remember him helping with putting up silage at my uncles and Dad’s place. He was a very excellent water skier, especiallly with his special friend Odvar Helgason(sp). We enjoyed just watching him ski. He loaned me his new car for my senior prom night.(that took alot of courage on his part). He was a supporter of Lutheran Social services because he believed in adoption. I remember when he stopped to visit us in Indiana after he was coming home from visiting Melissa in Ohio. He also let me use his lake cabin for a fraternity spring party. He believed in sharing any thing that he had with others. I will miss him. I also remember with fondness him speaking up at my Dad’s funeral, he did a nice job, reminiscing about memories of Dad.

  2. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. We will be unable to attend due to work restrictions for Steven, but we will be there in spirit. Love to all! Steven(nephew) and Karla Miller and family

  3. I really enjoyed David Scores comments, great memories. Ray gave me my first full time job as one of his farm hands. I worked a full season frequently running his new Steiger tractor. Ray had the factory reps out to the farm riding along to observe how the hi-low range gears would disengage while operating. I believe it was a bearcat model. very small by todays standards. When noon arrived all work would stop and we went to the house for a delicous farm meal that Marlys Had prepared. Noon was a full hour break and twice as long when the World Series was on. This was also the year that Melissa suddenly arrived one day. I really enjoyed working for Ray and should have stayed a few years more. God bless the family of Ray during this time.

    Keith Kummer
    Moorhead,MN.

  4. I am saddened by my Uncle Rays passing, he will always be remembered by me & I am sure all who knew & loved him. He gave me my first full time farm job in the summer of 1972 at age 16, working with my Brother Larry & Fritz D. I remember him teaching me to drive a 3 speed stick shift Ford P.U.Truck on a gravel road near the farm, so I could deliver fuel to tractors in the field.
    I remember driving the Stieger for disking & feeling like I had the best summer job ever. I came home to visit from the Air Force & when visiting Ray & Marlys he insisted on flying me in his newly purchased plane to visit my Uncle Loran & Aunt Mona & cousins at their farm, instead of me driving. He was an exceptional man with many skills & talents who believed in living life to the fullest in his active years. I will pray for the family & friends in this time of loss & mourning. God Bless.

  5. Another memory; I was at the Indiana Farm Progress Show or the Illinois Farm Progress Show and I went into on of the booths, either Case International or DMI. Anyway I had mentioned I was Ray Hudson’s cousin, and all of a sudden I was surrounded by the personel there that wanted to talk about Ray and his many ideas about planters, etc. I actually had to pry myself away, they just went on and on, but it was aparent they really respected Ray and his many ideas. I thought it was so cool that being that far away from North Dakota and they knew so much about him.

  6. We would like to extend our sympathy to Ray’s family. I cannot add more than David and Keith already wrote about Ray being a first-class neighbor and friend. And as I reminisce about the neighborhood, the Hudson’s and the Anderson’s have been neighbors and friends for close to 100 years.
    May God bless you in your time of mourning.
    Mary and Scott Anderson

  7. Ray’s dad was my grandpas brother. When I was growing up that farm was a life hub. We were all there a lot. Ray and Lorens cabins on Star Lake were another place that tied us all together. Ray would invite Our Saviors congregation there in the summer and we would worship and eat and play in the water. I was there the day your dad skied into the dock and broke his collarbone. That was exciting. I proudly got some of my worst sunburns there and I wanted the tan to coverup the freckles. I remember meals with your parents when I teased your mom horribly. Ray invited me over to play with each of you when you were small. I loved going there because I dearly loved your parents and you all; Missy, David, Heidi. I am crying as I remember my nickname, Red, that I only ever allowed Ray to call me.

  8. We are so saddened by Uncle Ray’s passing. There are so many fond memories from growing up over the years. From visits out to the farm, going to Star Lake-especially on the 4th of July (Ray always had the loudest fireworks)and fun speedboat rides, the Hudson family gatherings every Palm Sundays and Thanksgiving weekends, up to last year when we saw and visited with Ray for the last time, just to name a few. He will be missed with his keen wit and sense of humor. Melissa, David, and Heidi, you and your families are in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time of loss.

  9. My first job was in the summer of 1968 painting my uncle’s farm buildings when I was 15 years old. I continued to work summers in high school and after my first year of college on his farm. Ray taught me how to drive a car and to operate farm equipment. After my military service and prior to returning to college to complete my degree, I worked for Ray full time for three years. At that time, Ray, Fritz Dichraff, Larry Score and myself covered over 20 quarters of land producing corn, soybeans, sunflowers and sugar beets. The equipment used at that time was colossal in size including Steiger Tractors, 18-speed semi-trucks converted to straight trucks with three axles and 20 foot long boxes and a 36 foot folding-wing field cultivator. Ray was constantly inventing new ways of farming creating equipment such as a combination tiller and air seeder which would simultaneously till, plant and fertilize. He built an apartment for me to live in during that full time position in one of the houses he had on his farmland. Most of my skills in operating and maintaining equipment was thanks to my uncle’s instruction. Thanks to Ray’s guidance and generosity, I received an excellent start to my adult life. May he rest in peace. He is missed and he will always be appreciated. Peace be with his family.

  10. We were so sad to hear of Rays Passing. We hadn’t seen Ray for so long but have such fond memories.
    Ray was such a kind man that I loved to sit and visit with(I did most of the talking but what a great listener and always a smile).
    Marlys and Ray were so good at coming to our kids receptions in Mn.over the years and it was always so fun to see them. We would laugh at the Sperling good byes because they were always a good half hour or more.
    I’m sure Marlys was waiting at those pearly gates for you Ray.
    Gods Blessings


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