A Tribute to Lew Hudson

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of leading the Memorial Service for Lew Hudson in Baxter. Lew was a very special man who made a beautiful impact in the world.  Below is an edited version of the sermon I shared.

I got to know Lew as I was growing up in Worthington, Minnesota.  He lived on 1937 Summit and my family lived on 1914 Summit.  Our families saw a lot of each other.  LuAnn and Cindy were babysitters for my sister and me.  They got thirty-five cents a hour and then got a raise to fifty cents a hour.  Becky would go to the bus stop with us, and Fred hung out with my sister.  The Hudsons went to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Worthington, so the connection between our families only grew.  

His sense of humor was always part of our family's relationships.  I remember one day after Halloween waking up and seeing a grave stone in our front yard.  Lew did it—and we laughed about it for a long time.

I loved seeing the pictures that LuAnn, Cindy, Becky, and Fred shared on Facebook after Lew passed.  So many of them showed Lew with his sense of humor.  Chasing a turkey in a t-shirt, shorts and boots.  Who does that?  Standing with in a top hat and a black suit with Fred holding a flag.  I don’t know this for sure but it wouldn’t surprise me if that was the Bicentennial.  And just sticking out his tongue.

He was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1927.  His dad was a minister and he had two older brothers.  His dad, mom and siblings traveled around and eventually landed in eastern Iowa.  Lew went to high school in Bloomfield Iowa and attended Drake University.  And then his life changed.

One night he was walking in Des Moines and he came upon his friend, Bill.  Bill was driving a 1941 Ford Sedan.  They did what guys did in those days.  They went cruising.  They came across two women, Irma and Norma, who were at a bus stop.  They asked the two if they’d like to go for a ride.  Irma and Norma weren’t ready for that, said, "no," and got on the bus.  Lew and Bill weren’t going to be deterred that easily.  They followed the bus.  When the women got off, the two guys asked them if they wanted to go to a softball game the next night.  Irma and Norma looked at each other.  And they said, “yes.”  The next night as Lew and Bill drove to pick them up, the big question was who would go out with whom.  The two agreed that Lew would take the tall one, Irma, and Bill would take the short one, Norma.  The same conversation was going on among the girls about who would go out with whom.  Irma and Norma came to the same conclusion as Lew & Bill.  And destiny was established.  Both couples got eventually got married.  Lew and Irma were married for 69 years.

Fast forward a few years to 1960.  Lew took a job at the radio station in Worthington.  He loved being on the radio.  Eventually he became a reporter for the Worthington Daily Globe.  He joined the Presbyterian Church.  And Lew became part of the community. 

I remember the initiative that Lew established with some others in Worthington to develop a relationship with Cuero, Texas.  Worthington celebrated Turkey Day; Cuero did too.  The great gobbler gallop, a turkey race between the "fastest" turkey in each town, was born!  The trophy was the Traveling Turkey Trophy of Tumultuous Triumph.  Sounds like words that a newspaper reporter would coin.    

When I talked with Becky & Fred this past week Becky shared that for Lew family, faith, and community were most important.  Lew was able to combine faith and community in a way that honored the Presbyterian tradition.  Wherever he went Lew was involved in the community.  When he moved to Brainerd, he took the time to run for school board.  Some people in their 50’s and 60’s would be looking forward to retirement and going to the lake—especially in Brainerd.  But that wasn’t Lew.  It’s amazing to me that he served for 15 ½ years on the school board including three years as the board chair.  That is service in the Presbyterian tradition.

           

And Lew served the Presbyterian church. They were part of a group at Westminster in the late 60’s, early 70’s who saw their beloved pastor fired.  Though I was very young, I remember how painful that was for Lew, my parents, and many others.  But Lew (and others) stayed with the church despite the pain that he experienced.  He was willing to bear with people who caused him and his friends great pain.  Serving six times on the Session of the church again reveals his willingness to serve.  In most churches a term in the Presbyterian church is three years.  That is 18 years of Session meetings.  I love Session meetings, but I wouldn’t always call Session meetings the most stimulating of activity.  There was Lew—willing to serve.

           

Lew was a honorable man.  Becky shared with me that one rule he applied to life is “is it true, is it fair.”  He undoubtedly applied this rule at school board and Session meetings.  He had a deep sense of integrity and what made something right. 

           

Even with his sense of service, Lew had a sense of curiosity.  Fred shared that he played video games with him.  Can you imagine?  Most people Lew’s age look at video games as something meant for kids and something that keeps kids from doing important things like reading, spending time with family, or being in nature.  But there was Lew—with a sense of curiosity, willing to play a video game with his son.

           

He loved a good laugh.  And he was willing to share those laughs in his columns.  One year three teenagers were set to sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are” at the Christmas pageant at Westminster in Worthington.  It was a Christmas pageant, so they hadn’t practiced too much.  But there was one problem.  The three guys were were supposed to sing the song from memory.  The first guy got up.  He was a good-looking guy with a beautiful voice.  He was doing well.  But then he completely blanked on the words.  So he did what any rational person would do.  He started making up words—to “We Three Kings of Orient Are”—at a Christmas pageant.  The other two guys knew what was happening, and they couldn’t stop laughing.  The second guy got up to sing—but he couldn’t carry a tune and laughter took him away.  Then the third guy got up.  He was a more serious person.  He had complained that the group hadn’t practiced enough.  The first guy knew that this third guy was going to be upset about what had happened.  He silently prayed that this third guy would mess up.  And the third guy sang beautifully—until—his mind went blank too.  Three for three.  

           

Lew was in the audience for this “performance” of the Christmas pageant.  He loved it.  And, of course, he couldn’t help writing a column about the “three wise guys.”  Those three people will always be connected by that story.  Of course, I was one of the three.

           

God loved Lew deeply.  When the woman came to the tomb two days after the death of Jesus, they were expecting to find a dead body.  Instead as they came to the cave they found that the stone was rolled away.  They went into the cave.  The body was not there.  But an angel was.  That angel shared 17 words that can give us comfort as we think about the eternal fate of Lew.  Why do you look for the living among the dead; he is not here; he is risen.”  Jesus was raised from the dead.  Because of that resurrection we have faith that Lew is enjoying an eternal connection to God.  It’s a mystery yes.  And it’s a gift that God gave to Lew.  And a gift that God gives to all of us.  Lew opened up his gift and enjoyed a lifetime of service to his family, church & community.

           

Praise God for the resurrection of Jesus.  Praise God for the life of Lew Hudson.

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