Loretta Elizabeth "Betty" Hudgins

Loretta Elizabeth "Betty" Hudgins, 85, of Bellville died peacefully in her sleep on Nov. 25, 2021, in Round Rock, Texas. She was born on July 11, 1936, to Harold William and Blanche Elizabeth Icett in Houston. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 60 years, Ellis Andrew Hudgins; one son, Michael Andrew Hudgins; a brother, Harold William Icett Jr.; and one grandson, Steven Ellis Hudgins. She is survived by three sons and their wives, Doyle and Kristen, Martin and Eileen, and Matthew and Karen; daughter-in-law Linda Hudgins; grandchildren Ethan, Erin, Kaitlin, Sean, Brandon and his wife Catherine, and Lauren and her husband Benjamin; two great-grandsons, Lincoln and Jacob; great-granddaughter, Kaylee; a nephew, Kyle and wife Jackie; a niece, Amy Hudgins Robinson and husband Gabe; and brother-in-law William Hudgins and wife Jane.

Betty grew up in Houston's West End neighborhood, graduated from Reagan High School and attended West End Baptist Church. Her father preferred her middle name shortened to Betty, and that's the name she went by most of her life. Her father owned and operated Harold's Garage in what is now Houston's West University area.

As a master mechanic, Harold was able to purchase junked vehicles on the cheap and restore them for sale or the family's use. That's how Betty came to drive her own car in high school, and to enjoy flying as a passenger in an open-cockpit airplane that her father had brought back to life.

Betty's vocal talent made her a standout performer as both a soloist and choir singer from an early age. She at times turned her creative hand to painting and silk flower arranging, but music was her chief artistic outlet and a lifelong source of joy.

When Ellis Hudgins, a friend of her brother's, returned to their church between semesters at Baylor University and organized a youth singing program, Betty joined the group. The two continued to correspond by mail when the summer ended and Ellis returned to school. They married on Dec. 18, 1955, at West End Baptist Church.

Betty joined Ellis in Waco and studied briefly at Baylor before the couple moved to Fort Worth, where Ellis entered the seminary. Soon after the birth of their first son, Michael Andrew, in January 1957, Betty focused on homemaking. More sons followed: Doyle Edward in 1960; Martin Icett in 1962; and Matthew Harold in 1969. Feeding five men and boys honed her cooking to legendary status, particularly with her recipes for fried chicken, gumbo and chili.

As soon as her youngest son started school, Betty went to work as a phone receptionist at Fisher Florist, near the family's home in Houston. She learned bookkeeping on the job and went on to keep books for several Houston-area businesses until she and Ellis retired to Bellville, Texas, in 2001.

Betty and Ellis blossomed in Bellville, where they met new friends and were devoted members of Bellville United Methodist Church and its choir. Betty dearly loved her house in Bellville, the first and only home she ever owned, and enjoyed hosting family gatherings and meetings of her church prayer group there.

Betty was happiest when caring for others. She was devoted to her family and friends, and went out of her way to assist other disadvantaged people and animals that crossed her path. A back injury in junior high school thwarted her early aspiration to a career in nursing, but she nursed her children through bouts of illness, brought meals to sick and grieving families, and was a compassionate counsellor in times of trouble or sadness.

Even after moving into assisted living and, later, memory care, she was quick to recognize pain or distress in those around her and would reach out with an empathetic smile and kind words to comfort her neighbors and caregivers.

Her family extends heartfelt thanks to the memory care staff at The Rose of Round Rock for helping to keep Betty comfortable and engaged throughout her residency there.

Services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Cypress-Fairbanks Funeral Home in Houston. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation.

Event ID: CFfh
Password: N3KWPA
 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Loretta Elizabeth "Betty" Hudgins, please visit our floral store.