Thomas Rodney Hudson - Walker Funeral Home

Thomas Rodney Hudson, age 73, died at home on June 17, 2020, surrounded by his family in Payson, Utah.

Tom was born September 19, 1946 in Payson, Utah to Lily and Rodney (Duke) Hudson. Tom always said he had the best childhood any kid could ask for, growing up in Santaquin in a big, loving family, playing ball, hunting, fishing, and learning to work hard in the family apple orchard.

He graduated from Payson High School and four years of Seminary, which he was so proud of, in 1964. He attended Dixie College and Weber State University, where he played baseball while earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

He married Sue Burton and was sealed in the Manti Temple. They raised their five children in Payson, Utah.

Tom was an amazing and dedicated husband and father, and, like his dad, he made every occasion so memorable.

Tom lived life to the fullest. He was a true outdoorsman. He loved hunting, fishing, and being in the mountains. He also enjoyed sharing his love of Lake Powell with family and friends.

He was an avid gardener and got so much enjoyment sharing his bounty with all of his neighbors and friends.

Tom was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He held many callings through the years that he loved, including serving in Bishopric, High Council, and teaching Gospel Doctrine. His favorite calling was working with the youth.Tom and Sue served a Pathway mission and worked in the Payson Temple.

Tom continued his love of learning, earning his Master’s Degree and a PhD from Brigham Young University. His influence as a teacher and administrator was far reaching and has impacted so many people’s lives.

Tom was the ultimate teacher and was always teaching us lessons, even to his very last breath. More than anything, Tom wanted to be remembered as a “Good Man.” He was a loyal friend, a loving husband and father, and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Sue (Payson, UT), his five children, Andrea (Danny) Lamoreaux (Veyo, UT), Kristen (Nate) Dunford (Payson, UT), Michael (Joanna) Hudson (Payson, UT), Lari (Clint) Sprague (Santaquin, UT), Holly (Jeremy) Gardner (Mapleton, UT).

He was preceded in death by his baby son, Matthew, his parents, and his grandparents.

Special thanks to Dr. Sean Curzon, Mari and the A Plus Hospice team for the loving care they gave our husband and father.

There will be a viewing held on Monday, June 22, 2020 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, in Payson, Utah.

Funeral services will be held, Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 10:00 am at the Payson City Cemetery. Please bring a lawn chair as we have been asked to practice social distancing.

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Viewing

Monday, June 22, 2020
6-8 p.m.
Walker Funeral Home
587 South 100 West
Payson, Utah
Map

Graveside Service

Tuesday, June 23, 2020
10 a.m.
Payson City Cemetery
400 North 800 East
Payson, Utah
Map

18 Condolences for Thomas Rodney Hudson

Condolences(18)

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Jolyn Chapple says
June 19, 2020 at 6:00 pm

Dear Sue, We are so sorry to hear about Tom. Our thoughts & prayers will always be with you. You are such a dear friend. We love you, Jerald & Jolyn Smith Chapple
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Trina Ellis says
June 19, 2020 at 9:38 pm

Loved reading the obituary and remembering what great times we had as a family. Growing up in a family with five kids was challenging but very rewarding. Thanks big brother for the memories. Always Love you, Trina Cactus
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Louis Ballamis says
June 20, 2020 at 1:04 am

So sorry for the loss! Tom was a good friend and always an example for the good! I’ll always remember the tours of the basement looking at the wildlife! He was always good at sharing his knowledge with others! He will be truly missed!!
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  Jeff Clements says
  June 20, 2020 at 4:17 pm
  
  I am so sorry to hear about Tom’s passing. He was an incredible 5th grade teacher at Peteetneet!! Between teaching the ukulele to the class to the winter festival and reading marathon, and finally the Sand Dunes camping trip. It was very obvious he loved his job, and molding and developing his students. Thanks to the Hudson family for sharing your husband and father with a grateful public. Much love, and deepest condolences.
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Linda Carter and Dave says
June 20, 2020 at 3:15 am

Sue, I am so sorry for you and your families loss. Tom was a great man and will be missed by many. I’ll always have fun memories of him! Love you !
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  Marie Carter says
  September 4, 2026 at 9:45 pm
  
  This wonderful man was my sixth grade teacher and principal at Eureka Elementary. I remember the day he taught me to shoot an old west gun that he had. I remember the day he came running down the stairs to admonish a teacher who was being mean to us.
  I was looking at the awards he gave me for writing and reading as I’ve thought about him so many times over the years. I’m in the process of writing children’s books and I’m putting him in one of the them, so I googled him out of curiosity and am saddened to find he’s passed.
  He was my favorite teacher, who had a profound influence on me that still resonates with me today.
  I’ve never forgotten the impact he made on my life, and I can still today picture him in my mind with his smiling face and cheery personality.
  He put up with a lot of spunk from me, but he taught me to stand up for myself and not be afraid to have a voice as a young girl. I admired him greatly and am saddened that as an adult, I never had the chance to tell him what he meant to me. Thank you Mr. Hudson, for being a phenomenal teacher and human being.
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Wayne and Pam Gasser says
June 20, 2020 at 3:12 pm

So sorry for all of you in the passing of Tom. He has always been a man I have admired and glad to call him ( and much of his family) friend. Would love to express all this in person but will not be able to attend due to other family obligations. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with all of you!
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Charles Hall says
June 20, 2020 at 3:41 pm

Dear Sue, It was great to see you some months ago after so many years. You told me at the time that Tom wasn’t doing well. I was saddened to see that he has passed on. My condolences to you and your family. I thought that after I had seen you, I should have mentioned that your brother Larry was one of my favorite teachers back in the day.
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Von Dansie says
June 21, 2020 at 3:06 am

Sorry for your loss! I was a student of his in his second year teaching at Peteetneet, he touched everyone of us in that class. He taught us life lessons that we will never forget. He was always watching out for the ones struggling, he taught me about not bullying before I ever heard that phrase! I loved and will always love Mr. Hudson. Thanks for him being a great friend and part of my life!
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Chris Sorensen says
June 21, 2020 at 3:42 am

One of the greatest blessings in my life is to have known Tom. He was my mentor and greatest friend in education for many years. But more than that Tom was an amazingly generous and genuine person. I’ve never known anyone who loved and lived life more enthusiastically than Tom.
Thanks to Sue and the Hudson family for sharing a part of Tom with Karen and me. I’m sure I’m only one of many, many people whom Tom made feel as if they were his best friend. Thanks Tom and Sue.
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Roger Reid says
June 21, 2020 at 8:10 pm

Tom was a wonderful man and friend. We competed in high school sports. I played baseball with him at Weber State and he was a great hitter. Later, during my first high school coaching job at Payson High, I couldn’t get anyone to help me with our basketball team. Tom stepped up to coach our sophomore team, practicing every morning at 6:00 with no compensation so he could get back to his job as a principal.

All the best to his family. He lived a wonderful life. Godspeed, Tom.
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BONNIE BALLARD says
June 22, 2020 at 1:43 am

Oh my gosh he was my 5th grade teacher at Peteetneet. He always played the 3 DS record and we had silver certificates much earned to buy goodies. What a great man he was. Sue I am very sorry to hear of his passing
God Bless you and yours. Bonnie Ballard.
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Lynda Broadbent says
June 22, 2020 at 3:24 pm

We would like to express our sincere condolences for Tom’s passing. We want the family to know how much we will be thinking of you at this time. We grew up in Santaquin with Tom and so naturally we played quite a bit of baseball. At one point around high school age we had a team made up of Payson and Santaquin players. We played in a very competitive summer league in Provo. Tom played shortstop and Dave played second base. Every time I would see Tom we would reminisce about how many double plays we turned. We will miss his smile and enthusiasm for life.
David had knee surgery on Friday, so we will be unable to attend the viewing or graveside. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Jay & Jill Sullivan says
June 23, 2020 at 4:54 pm

Shocking news of Tom’s passing! Sue and family we are thinking of you during these trying times! Out prayers, blessings will continue during your mourning and may Tom Rest In Peace, he was a great man! He will be missed by us all! Love and best wishes, Jay & Jill
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Steve and Donna Crane says
June 23, 2020 at 11:03 pm

Dear Sue and family,
We were so sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. He was one of my best friends at Payson High and Dixie College. We played basketball together at Payson. He was one of my favorite team mates. His personality and infectious laugh made practice enjoyable.
I was one year ahead of him in school. Our senior class project was a marquee. Unfortunately, it was placed next to two huge bushes that obscured it from view. The senior class decided to meet late one evening and chop the bushes down. Tom was the only junior there. I remember him chopping away at the bushes yelling, “This is for the junior class!” We had a lot of mischief until a highway patrolman showed up and we scattered.
When I was a senior, I was the basketball captain. We took seventh in state and we all signed a basketball that was placed in the high school trophy case. At my 2018 class reunion there was that basketball. I asked Dennis Smith where he found it. He said Tom had it. When the district was cleaning out old trophies, they sawTom’s name on it and gave it to him. Since I had been captain, I wanted the ball. I called Tom and he graciously agreed that I should have it. I stopped by and Tom and I had a great visit about old times.
As young men at Dixie College, I remember we often talked about this girl or that but Tom only talked about Sue. He always has been in love with Sue.
Tom is a wonderful man. The world is a better place because of Tom Hudson.
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Jake McClellan says
June 25, 2020 at 6:27 pm

Sue, Andrea, Kristen, Mike, Lori and Holly –

Sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. He will certainly be missed. Having grown up just a block away, I have many fond memories of Tom and the Hudson family. I haven’t met too many people who seemed so positive and upbeat all the time. I’ll always remember his smile, and the many good memories I have of him – from the king-sized Hershey’s bar he gave me for memorizing my articles of faith after I recited them to him in your living room to taking that old truck (I think it was an international?) into the snow covered foothills to watch the deer. He’s the kind of guy you hope to be like, and its nice to know that he was, is, and will always be, a ‘good man’. Sorry for your loss.
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Lee and Wendy Pope says
July 6, 2020 at 5:59 am

Sue,
We are so sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. He blessed the lives of so many and will be remembered as a good-natured, caring friend that was a great example to all that were fortunate enough to know him. May you feel the comforter near .
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Ilene Hales says
July 7, 2020 at 10:02 pm

Mike and family, I am truly sorry for your loss. I know, that even with time, it can just feel like yesterday, when you could no longer talk to and spend time with your departed loved one. Memories help as well as reminiscing about all the fun things you did together and all the time spent together. However, it doesn’t remove the yearning to be with your loved one. There will be many times where you wish you could just ask them something or talk with them. I think when we lose loved ones, it is the hardest part of life, My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. You are a wonderful family and I know you will be together with him again, enjoying everything together, never having to say a temporary goodbye again. May you have Heavenly Father’s blessings continually.