Obituary of Charles Hudgins

SUMTER--Dr. Charles Theodore Hudgins, Jr. (Lt Col US Army ret), 86, formerly of Lexington, entered into rest Thursday, December 25, 2014 at Covenant Place, in Sumter. Born August 10, 1928, in Cliffside, NC he was the son of the late Charles, Sr. and Mattie Lean (Black) Hudgins. Dr. Hudgins was drafted to the US Army in 1949 and was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant shortly after. While stationed in Europe, he received the USAMCEE Man of the Year award for outstanding service. He developed the Mobile Optometric Field Unit for troops deployed at the front lines of battle, as well as developed various other programs that assisted GI's with their performance in the field. Dr. Hudgins made a career with the US Army and following more than 26 years of service as an Optometrist in the Army he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following his retirement from the Army, Dr. Hudgins continued serving as an Optometrist and after 49 years of practice he retired. He holds the record for being the longest serving Optometrist in the State of South Carolina. During his 49 years as an Optometrist, Dr. Hudgins was the Director of Professional Relations for Lens Crafters, and had worked for American Optical where he helped develop the modern day Phoropter. Dr. Hudgins was a Table Tennis Champion for many years in the Senior Olympics and also competed internationally. But bigger still he was the undefeated checkers champion of the State of South Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Furman University and also played as forward for the basketball team there. An athlete at heart, Dr. Hudgins was the youngest and the shortest player on the track and field team, and at 4' 11" he was the shortest person to clear the high jump at 9ft. Even after he was physically unable to jog and run he still walked more than 3 miles per day and actually wore out two rollator walkers. He is survived by his wife, of almost 61 years, Carolyn Edith (Goodson) Hudgins; children, Elizabeth A. Hudgins Stokes (Bobby), Charles Joseph Hudgins (Rena) and Nancy C. Hudgins Maioriello (Tony); grandchildren, John R. Stokes (Candice), Stephen M. Stokes (Regan), Joseph W. Stokes (Megan), Trace T. Maioriello, Rachel L. C. Hudgins, Cierra J. Hudgins, McKenzie A. Maioriello and J. Ryan Hudgins; and great grandchildren, Courtney E. Stokes, Katelyn M. Stokes and Mace A. Maioriello. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 11:30 A.M., at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209, with Rev. Dr. Gene Lockaby officiating. Interment will follow in Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home, beginning at 10:30 A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be sent to either Dunean Baptist Church, 21 Allen Street, Greenville, SC 29605; or to the USO, 3250 Airport Blvd., Suite 7, West Columbia, SC 29170.