Lori Boyd Hudson, 36, of Red Bank, died on Thursday, April 6, 2006, in a Nashville hospital after a courageous battle with graft vs. host disease following a bone marrow transplant.
Lori continued to find ways to enrich the lives of others and maintained a positive attitude throughout an extremely painful and difficult illness. She was a compassionate advocate for animals and successfully placed hundreds of homeless dogs and cats in loving homes.
As a teacher, she shared her love of life and compassion for others with hundreds of children as joyfully as she taught them the year’s curriculum.
Lori was preceded in death by an infant son, Caleb Hudson; her grandfathers, Luther Caruthers and Ross Boyd; and her grandmother, Marie Boyd.
Lori was a loving wife, daughter and granddaughter who is survived by her husband, Mark Hudson; her parents, Kenneth and Linda Boyd; her grandmother, Ruth Caruthers; aunt and uncle, Lynn and Jim Caruthers, of Pulaski, TN; first cousins, Peyton Caruthers, of Chicago, and Corbin Caruthers, of Franklin, TN; mother and father-in law, Audrey and James Hudson; special nephews, Cody, Dillon, Matthew and Isaiah Marshall and James and Michael Grubb; special niece, Susan Grubb; and a host of other much-loved aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She also leaves behind her cherished dogs and cats.
A graduate of Red Bank High School, Lori received her bachelor’s degree in education from Converse College, Spartanburg, S.C., and her master’s degree from the University of South Carolina. She taught at Rawlinson Road Middle School in Rock Hill, S.C., for six years and at Westside Elementary School, Rossville, for five years. She was a member of First-Centenary United Methodist Church.
Funeral services will be held at First-Centenary United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. on Monday.
Lori’s life centered around giving to others, and in that spirit she asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Attn. Memorial Program, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; to the Tennessee Humane Animal League, Pet Placement Center, 5975 Dayton Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37415; or to the Memorial Foundation Hope Lodge, 2008 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TN 37203, which provides free housing to cancer patients who are undergoing treatment and their caregivers.
To send a note of condolence, please visit www.lane-coulterchapel.com.
The family will receive friends from 2-6 p.m. Sunday at Lane Funeral Home, Coulter Chapel, 601 Ashland Terrace and at First-Centenary United Methodist Church on Monday one hour before the service and immediately after the service.