Nancy Jo Hurst Hudson

Nancy Jo Hurst Hudson, 81, of Roanoke, Va., passed away on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. She was the eighth of nine children born to Virginia and Jackson Hurst, in McComas, W.Va. A woman of amazing character and talent, she was a teacher who found no child she could not teach to read and none whose life was not enriched by her love and guidance. Her teaching career began at age 18 as the only teacher in a one-room school with six grades near Princeton, W.Va. After graduating from Concord College, she taught in the Roanoke City Schools for most of her 34 year teaching career. Nancy was a Realtor for about 20 years in the Roanoke Valley. In addition to her vocations, Nancy was a gifted writer and painter, having published several books of poems and other personal writings. Her home was adorned with many of the exceptional oil paintings she crafted over the last 30 years. Left to rejoice in the memory of this marvelous woman are her devoted husband of 43 years, R. Louis Hudson; son, Jim Sizemore and son-in-law, Josh Banks, of Los Angeles; daughter, Jill Glass and son-in-law, Gene Glass, of Roanoke; son, Bob Hudson, of Roanoke; son, Colin and daughter-in-law, Jessica Hudson, of Salem; granddaughters, Sarah Glass, of Blacksburg, Hannah Glass, of Lynchburg, Katie and Tori Hudson, of Hilliard, Ohio, and little Ashlin Hudson, of Salem. Also surviving are her two remaining sisters, Nell Bowman and husband, Randy, of Roanoke, and Frances Edwards, of Princeton, W.Va. To know her was to love her; to love her was and is an amazing gift. We all will miss her. Visitation at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel on Friday, April 16, 2010, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. A funeral service will be held at noon on Saturday, April 17, 2010, at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel with Chaplain Lisa Meyer officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Burial Park. Arrangements by Oakey's Roanoke Chapel, 540-982-2100.