The Good Die Young

I have been away from this blog for an extended time because of family health issues, tornadoes that decimated north Alabama and the oppressive summer heat.  All that to say "I have not been hiking lately."  However, I come back to the blog to report a very sad event.  Jay Hudson, fellow hiker, naturalist, school teacher and great human being, passed away at 3:30 p. m. Tuesday from a pulmonary embolism.

Jay Hudson

Chelsea, AL - Funeral service for Jay Hudson, 42, will be Friday, June 10, 2011 at 11:00 am at Radney-Smith Chapel with Rev. Mahlon Felkins and Rev. Lewis Archer officiating.  Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Sylacauga, AL.

Mr. Hudson died Tuesday, June 7, 2011.  He was preceded in death by father, Jerry E. Hudson.  Jay was an avid outdoorsman who loved hiking, wildflowers and photography.  He was a graduate of Oneonta High School and earned a Bachelor of Science from Birmingham Southern, Master of Science from Auburn University, Bachelor of Science Agricultural Science from Auburn and a Master of Arts in Education from UAB.  He was a science teacher at Bumpus Middle School in the Hoover School System.

He is survived by his parents, Dr. Walter and Judy Pinson of Sylacauga; brother, Jeffery Scott Hudson of Leeds, AL; nephews, Jared Hudson and Jacob Hudson; step-sister, Tamara Cusmariu and her husband, Dr. Jeffery Cusmariu; step-brother, Scott Pinson; aunt, Janet Bailey, husband Dane; cousins, Dana Levering and husband Mike, and Patrick Bailey wife Sharron.

Visitation will be Friday, June 10, 2011 from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. at Radney-Smith Funeral Home.

The family will accept flowers or contributions may be made to a memorial fund that has been established to Bumpus Middle School, Attn:  Jay Hudson Memorial, 1730 Lake Cyrus Drive, Hoover, AL  35244.  If enough funds are raised, the school will support building a hiking trail on the school grounds and name it the Jay Hudson Memorial Trail.  Checks should be made payable to Bumpus Middle School with Jay Hudson Memorial written in the memo line of the check.

Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneysmith.com.

Radney-Smith Funeral Home in Sylacauga, AL will direct the services.

                                           Jay and I on the Chinnabee Silent Trail in the Spring
I did not have the opportunity to know Jay long enough.  He was the leader of the local Sierra Club and a leader of many hikes in the Sipsey Wilderness and the Pinhoti Trail.  Jay loved photography and wildflowers and was a wealth of information about the fauna that I usually did not notice.  Jay introduced me to the waterfalls of the Sipsey and I will be forever grateful.  


One day in the early spring I was on a hike that Jay was leading on the Pinhoti Trail.  For some reason or another I was struggling that day.  I found it harder and harder to keep up with the group.  It was a fairly long hike through some rolling terrain and I knew I was in a little bit of trouble.  Jay noticed I was struggling and began to hang back with me.  Finally, I told Jay that I need to lay down and take an extended break as I was not feeling well at all.  As I was on the ground trying to get my legs back under me Jay and I had an extended conversation about hiking, life, death and individuality.  Jay was a  very complex person with a lot of passion about many things.  He was a liberal and proud of it.  He did not hesitate to state his position on a matter even though that position might not be popular with the group he was talking to.  I truly respect Jay and wish I was more like him.  


Heaven is a better place today as Jay is with the Lord.  Jay, say hello to Hope for me.