Floyd Hudgins

Floyd Hudgins March 11, 1930 - May 11, 2010 CUSSETA, GA — Senator Floyd Hudgins, 80, of Cusseta, GA, died Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at his residence. Funeral services will be held 1PM Saturday, May 15, 2010 at Cusseta United Methodist Church 824 Broad St. Cusseta, GA 31805 with Reverend Dan Smith officiating. The interment will be held 1PM CDT Sunday, May 16, 2010 at Low Gap United Methodist Church Cemetery in Odenville, AL with Reverend Dave Cox officiating. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5 to 7PM at McMullen Funeral Home 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA  31907. The following will serve as pallbearers: Frank Waller, Gerald Clauson, Clark Huff, Seth Hudgins, Chris Pittman, and Shawn Hudgins. Mr. Hudgins was born March 11, 1930 in Gadsden, AL, son of the late William Lonnie and Ollie Belle Strickland Hudgins. After several years of moving about with a contracting company, he wound up in Cusseta in July, 1949. He became a crane operator's helper with Williams Construction CO., which was then building barracks at Ft. Benning. He soon became a heavy equipment operator himself. His first taste of politics came in 1958 when he was elected, as a write-in canidate, to a one-year term on the Cusseta Council. Next he was elected to the State Senate to represent Chattahoochee, Muscogee, and Marion counties. Representation was then on a rotating basis, and it was Chattahoochee's turn. The federal court ruled the senate district was mal-apportioned and ordered new elections. Chattahoochee County was ultimately included with Sumter County. The new senate seat was the one Jimmy Carter eventually won in the start of a political journey which would lead to the White House. Senator Hudgins won a special election to the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives to fill the unexpired term of State Representative Joe N. King. He served as state legislator in 1964 and 1965 until, once again, reapportionment cost him his post. In April 1965, Floyd Hudgins moved his famiy to the Oakland Park section of Columbus where, in November 1968, he defeated State Senator I. W. "Bill" Gregory. From this seat, he would be instrumental in the 1971 consolidation of Columbus/Muscogee County. Committees he would later chair include, children and Juvenile Justice Committee, creating Georgia's Juvenile Justice System with the assistance of Judge Aaron Cohn; Defense and Veteran's Affairs Committee and The Banking and Finance Committee, from which emerged much of the credit protection legislation and deregulation of the finance industry in Georgia in the 1980's; phenylketonurics (PKU) testing for infants; Georgia's  Right-Turn-On-Red-after-complete-stop, just to name a few. His public service was not just confined to elected office. His efforts with Dr. Robert Wright, Dr. Delmar Edwards, and Charles Huff, Sr., brought integration to the National Little League in Columbus in the 1960's at Rigdon Park, so named for John Rigdon's land donation at the request of Senator Hudgins. In honor of Senator Hudgins' many years of coaching and involvement with South Columbus Boys Club and the National Little League, a field at this park was designated as "Hudgins" field. Other community involvement included serving as President of the Baker High School PTA. Efforts through Jimmy Carter in 1971 earned The Springer Opera House state theatre designation, saving it from demolition. In 1974, he would again ride to the rescue of a beloved landmark, SAVE THE FOX Theatre in Atlanta, GA, as he put his weight behind these efforts. The Senator was best known for his legislation protecting the interests of children. He pioneered a law which has become a model for other states. It prohibits children from being locked up in common jails, except in rare circumstances. He also championed legislation which protected animals and the environment. "Children and animals have a sixth sense," he liked to say, "they know who loves them and who doesn't." After his retirement at the state level he returned to Cusseta where he was elected to the Chattahoochee County Commission. With a passionate mission and vision for the future, he was again involved in the successful consolidation of the city and county government. Senator Hudgins served and dedicated his life to public service until 2003. Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by his sons, William Tyson Hudgins and Michael Noman Hudgins; brothers Albert Burlin Hudgins and Ronald Hudgins; sisters Dovie Irene Parrish, Hazel Harrell, and Libbey Jean Riddlespurge. He is survived by his son Wayne Hudgins and wife, Anne; daughters Lynne Hudgins Schorr; Sharon Janelle and husband, Gerald Clauson; Sandra Paige and husband, Clark Huff; brother Ray Hudgins and wife, Leila; sister Helen Holder; his former wife and mother of his children, Margie Hand Hudgins; grandchildren Leslie Schorr-Barker (Jimmy); Laura Schorr; Seth Hudgins (Tabitha); Shawn Hudgins; Dustin Chandler; great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Flowers will be accepted, but those so desiring may make memorial contributions to Cusseta United Methodist Church, 824 Broad Street, Cusseta GA 31805. Those who wish may sign the on-line registry at www.mcmullenfuneralhome.com.