Anita Sue Hudson

CHICKASHA -- With a fearless faith and confidence in her Savior, Anita Sue Hudson served her family and church with a worshipful devotion. She passed from this life on Friday at 85, surrounded by her husband of 66 years, Jack, their son, Mark, and family.

Born on the family farm near Custer, Okla., Sue Wood was the fourth of seven children to Clint and Jessie Lee Wood. Sue learned to play the piano at age 9 and never stopped playing – for church services, fellowships, funerals, and fun.

While Sue was always petite, friends described her as a muscular pianist who expressed her faith and love for worship by playing piano nearly effortlessly by ear. "You sing it and I'll play it, Sue would say," family members recall. She also played trumpet and served as the majorette for her high school band. She was baptized at an early age and committed herself to serving God at every opportunity. She served as church pianist from her early teenage years.

She graduated from Custer High School in 1955, then moved to Arlington, Texas, where she worked as a secretary at Chance Vought Aircraft Company. There she met Jack Hudson. They married in August 1956 in Arlington.

She enjoyed Bible Study Fellowship, an international organization designed to encourage the study of scripture, and she led friends and family to study the Bible. She loved to study and discuss Bible passages to better understand and share her faith.

In 1959, Sue and Jack moved to Alamogordo, N.M., where they welcomed their son, Mark Todd Hudson. Sue's life was centered on her faith and family.

The family lived in Yuma and Tuscon, Ariz., before moving to Chickasha in 1977. It was during this time that Sue discovered her love of painting. Sue served more than a decade as a librarian at the University of Science and Arts before retiring from the college in 1999.

When the college's enrollment of international students grew in the 1970s and 80s, Jack and Sue discovered their great love for them. This grew into nearly 20 years of service and ministry designed to encourage and engage international students, many of whom still stay in touch.

Sue continued to study the Bible until the last weeks of her life. Her dog-eared Bible filled with many thousands of notes and markings, remains by the chair where she loved to read.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Clint and Jessie Lee Wood; sister Joy Theissen; sister Patricia Bullock; brother Mainon Wood; and brother Charles Wood.

She is survived by her husband Jack, of the home; son Mark, of Chickasha; sister Gay Hamar and her husband, Kenneth of Clinton; brother Al Wood and his wife, Annahue, of McAlester; and several nieces and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers include Dellas Anderson, George Tiner and Dick Denton.

Services are scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, at Sevier Funeral Home in Chickasha. Burial is scheduled at Fairlawn Cemetery, north of Chickasha.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Gideons International (Gideons.org) in Sue's honor.