Shirley Mills Hudson died April 6, 2010, at Foxdale Village, State College. Daughter of Harold Strycker Mills and Josephine Schaus Mills, she was born July 17, 1924 in Ithaca, N.Y.
She spent her childhood in Riverhead, N.Y. and Bristol, Pa., graduating from Griffin High School, Ga. Following the death of her father, an agriculture researcher, the family moved to Southampton, N.Y. During World War II she made radio crystals for the war effort, later working in the Shrafft's Lunchrooms. Nursing studies at Emory University were followed by a 1946 year at Penn State more memorable for social than academic achievement, and she withdrew.
After her 1948 marriage to George Randolph Hudson, they lived in New York City. As he pursued his doctorate at Columbia University, she was a member of Teachers College Dames. An outing there with her infant son became a New York Times front page photo when candidate Dwight Eisenhower held the baby. She moved to State College in 1955. During the 1950s and 1960s, Shirley dove into life as a faculty wife at Penn State, where George was Professor of Counselor Education. She was active in the Penn State Faculty Women's Club and State College Presbyterian Church, and helped found the State College Women's Club. Her International Hospitality Group held dinners with foreign students, many of whom remained family friends for decades. Her bridge group met regularly for 50 years.
A naturally talented hostess, cook and gardener, she enjoyed Sarasota Garden Club and Audubon outings during winters in Fla. She collected biographies of her great-grandfather John H. Mills, one of whose paintings is in the Palmer Art Museum. Mrs. Hudson was predeceased by George, to whom she was married 50 years.
She is survived by sons, Randolph Hudson, of State College, and his wife, Cynthia Nixon; David Hudson, of Dillsburg, and his wife, Ann; Robert Hudson, of Buffalo, N.Y. and his wife, Maureen; by grandchildren, Evan Hudson, of Cold Spring, N.Y. and his wife, Andrea; Ryan Hudson, of Miami; and Aimee, Chris, Marc, Daniel and Anna Hudson; and by her sister, Marion Boswell, of Greenwood, Miss.
The family will hold a public memorial service at Penn State Eisenhower Chapel on Saturday, April 10 at 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception at Foxdale Village at 12:00 noon. There will be a burial service the next day at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Shelter Island, N.Y. Contributions may be made to the Shelter Island, NY Historical Society. Or yellow roses, Shirley's favorite flowers, may be sent to the service.