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In Memoriam
Freeman W. Hudson – June 30, 1946 – September 12, 2018
Freeman W. Hudson, a radio host and a retired maintenance
worker who was supportive of his wife's legal and electoral
careers, died Wednesday in the Cleveland Clinic. He was 72.
He suffered from kidney disease, said his wife, Paula
Hicks-Hudson, the former mayor of Toledo.
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Hudson attended public events for his wife - speeches,
celebrations, and rallies - and was more than satisfied to
give her all of his support. His wife said: "He believed
that was something I wanted to do. He would help me at home
and keep me sane.
"He was my partner.
My heart is heavy because the love of life has be transformed
from his mortal body to his spiritual one. I definitely will
miss him but I know he is at peace.”
The family moved to the area in 1982 when Hicks-Hudson
became an attorney for the Toledo Legal Aid Society. She
later became a Lucas County assistant prosecutor. In 2011,
she was appointed to fill the District 4 City Council seat
when her predecessor, Michael Ashford, won his election for
the Ohio General Assembly. Hicks-Hudson won election to the
district council seat later in the year. She eventually was
elected council president by her peers and became mayor in
February, 2015, upon the death of then-Mayor D. Michael
Collins. In November of that year, she was elected to
complete the remainder of the term.
She currently is Democratic candidate for Ohio House
District 44. He felt pride in the positions she attained,
but "it didn't matter. He would be proud of any
accomplishment - what I did, or the kids did, that was
making the world a better place."
Freeman Hudson was born June 30, 1946, in Hamilton, Ga., to
Ruby and Willis Hudson, the first of what would be seven
children. He was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High
School and attended Morris Brown College, both in Atlanta.
He had military police duty while serving in the Air Force
during the Vietnam War. He later studied broadcasting at
Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and while
there called basketball games on the radio.
He and his wife met in Atlanta, while she was at Spelman
College. As she continued her education - a master's degree
in Colorado and a law degree from the University of Iowa -
Hudson took to the airwaves in those locales and as "Hud"
played the current hits. In Toledo, he had a show on WVOI
radio. He was host of the evening Quiet Storm program for
WRVF, 101.5-FM, playing requests from lovelorn or in-love
listeners.
Freeman Hudson also connected with residents of the
Darlington House nursing facility as he took charge of floor
maintenance while working for Toledo Building Services, said
Lawrence Friedman, the firm's chairman.
"He was very classy. He carried himself like the fine
gentleman he was," Friedman said.
Mr. Hudson retired in 2016 from Holland Inc., where for 11
years he was a day porter, doing maintenance and cleaning at
an area commercial facility.
Surviving are his wife, Paula Hicks-Hudson, whom he married
Sept. 8, 1973; daughters, Denise Hudson, Andrea Tossa
Garfield, Patricia Hope Hudson and Leah Hudson; sons,
Timothy Hudson and Lamont Vasquez; brother, Randolph
Ferguson, and 12 grandchildren.
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