Obituary for Jerry Rayvon Hudson Sr.
Jerry Rayvon Hudson, Sr., of Wetumpka, went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 10, 2023,
at the age of 87.
He was born to Emmett Grafton Hudson and Alice Jewel Flowers Hudson on August 28, 1935,
in the Coffee Springs community of Geneva County, Alabama. He was a devoted husband,
father, son, and friend who sought to put God first in his life, demonstrating that through his
concern for others.
When he was young, Jerry’s family moved to Baker, Florida, and he was reared in that
community, close to many extended family members. He graduated from Baker High School in
1953 and served in the U.S. Air Force for two years before launching a 39-year career in civil
service in 1955. He moved to the Washington, D.C., area to work with the expanding laboratory
operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While living in the District of Columbia, he
also studied toward a bachelor’s degree at George Washington University. His FBI tenure was
interrupted by 10 months of active service with the 113 th Tactical Fighter Wing, District of
Columbia Air National Guard. He then resumed serving as a physical science technician
(physics) in the FBI Laboratory Division until resigning in April 1963 to enroll at the University
of Florida to complete a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree. He graduated in December
1964 and began work with the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineer. He earned a Master of
Engineering degree from the University of Florida in August 1970. For the majority of his
career, he worked at Eglin Air Force Base and resided in Shalimar, Florida. His assignments in
development of national defense systems took him to locations across the United States and
Europe. Following retirement from Federal Civilian Service in 1994, he was employed by
Sverdrup Engineering’s Fort Walton Beach offices. He retired from that post in 2003.
Having grown up on a farm, he continued working the family acreage in Baker for several years
following his parents’ passing.
A life-long Christian, Jerry was a member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Baker, Florida, and
was a long-time member of Shalimar Baptist Church in Shalimar, Florida, serving as a Bible
study teacher, and on several church committees. He also was a member of Gideons International
and supported several orphanages around the world.
Jerry married Erma Dean Duck on September 22, 1989, in Shalimar, Florida. They shared in
ministry and service endeavors throughout their 32-year marriage. They enjoyed traveling across
the region and regularly attended the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting for many
years. The Hudsons moved to Elmore County, Alabama, in 2007, where they became members
of Thelma Baptist Church in Wetumpka.
Jerry was previously married to Donna Lee Smith for 17 years and has two children from that
marriage.
He is survived by two sons, Jerry “Jay” Rayvon Hudson, Jr., of Reno, Nev.; and John Randolph
(Dee) Hudson of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; two step-sons, Martin (Deborah) O’Gwynn of Taylors,
S.C.; and Russell “Gator” O’Gwynn of Milton, Fla.; and six grandchildren, Andrew (Melanie)
O’Gwynn of New York, N.Y.; Timothy (Bethany) O’Gwynn of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Ariel
(Zac) Martin of Trussville, Ala.; Haleigh O’Gwynn of Pinson, Ala.; Emma Hudson of DeFuniak
Springs, Fla.; and Andrew Hudson of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; and two great-grandchildren,
Salma Soad O’Gwynn and Santiago Butros O’Gwynn, both of New York City, N.Y. He was
predeceased by his wife, Dean Hudson, on February 23, 2022.
Visitation with the family will be from 10:30-11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 14, at Gassett
Funeral Home Chapel, 204 East Charles Avenue, Wetumpka, Ala., with a memorial service
immediately following at 11 a.m.
at the age of 87.
He was born to Emmett Grafton Hudson and Alice Jewel Flowers Hudson on August 28, 1935,
in the Coffee Springs community of Geneva County, Alabama. He was a devoted husband,
father, son, and friend who sought to put God first in his life, demonstrating that through his
concern for others.
When he was young, Jerry’s family moved to Baker, Florida, and he was reared in that
community, close to many extended family members. He graduated from Baker High School in
1953 and served in the U.S. Air Force for two years before launching a 39-year career in civil
service in 1955. He moved to the Washington, D.C., area to work with the expanding laboratory
operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While living in the District of Columbia, he
also studied toward a bachelor’s degree at George Washington University. His FBI tenure was
interrupted by 10 months of active service with the 113 th Tactical Fighter Wing, District of
Columbia Air National Guard. He then resumed serving as a physical science technician
(physics) in the FBI Laboratory Division until resigning in April 1963 to enroll at the University
of Florida to complete a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree. He graduated in December
1964 and began work with the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineer. He earned a Master of
Engineering degree from the University of Florida in August 1970. For the majority of his
career, he worked at Eglin Air Force Base and resided in Shalimar, Florida. His assignments in
development of national defense systems took him to locations across the United States and
Europe. Following retirement from Federal Civilian Service in 1994, he was employed by
Sverdrup Engineering’s Fort Walton Beach offices. He retired from that post in 2003.
Having grown up on a farm, he continued working the family acreage in Baker for several years
following his parents’ passing.
A life-long Christian, Jerry was a member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Baker, Florida, and
was a long-time member of Shalimar Baptist Church in Shalimar, Florida, serving as a Bible
study teacher, and on several church committees. He also was a member of Gideons International
and supported several orphanages around the world.
Jerry married Erma Dean Duck on September 22, 1989, in Shalimar, Florida. They shared in
ministry and service endeavors throughout their 32-year marriage. They enjoyed traveling across
the region and regularly attended the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting for many
years. The Hudsons moved to Elmore County, Alabama, in 2007, where they became members
of Thelma Baptist Church in Wetumpka.
Jerry was previously married to Donna Lee Smith for 17 years and has two children from that
marriage.
He is survived by two sons, Jerry “Jay” Rayvon Hudson, Jr., of Reno, Nev.; and John Randolph
(Dee) Hudson of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; two step-sons, Martin (Deborah) O’Gwynn of Taylors,
S.C.; and Russell “Gator” O’Gwynn of Milton, Fla.; and six grandchildren, Andrew (Melanie)
O’Gwynn of New York, N.Y.; Timothy (Bethany) O’Gwynn of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Ariel
(Zac) Martin of Trussville, Ala.; Haleigh O’Gwynn of Pinson, Ala.; Emma Hudson of DeFuniak
Springs, Fla.; and Andrew Hudson of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; and two great-grandchildren,
Salma Soad O’Gwynn and Santiago Butros O’Gwynn, both of New York City, N.Y. He was
predeceased by his wife, Dean Hudson, on February 23, 2022.
Visitation with the family will be from 10:30-11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 14, at Gassett
Funeral Home Chapel, 204 East Charles Avenue, Wetumpka, Ala., with a memorial service
immediately following at 11 a.m.