Dolores Watkins Hudson

Dolores Watkins Hudson, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, was welcomed into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 4, 2025. She was born in Halfway, Oregon on August 13, 1930, the daughter of Thomas Albert Watkins and Laura Hensley Watkins. Her first decade was spent enjoying the country life, with many happy moments rambling on her chestnut horse through the hunting and fishing areas of Pine Valley. At the advent of World War II, the family moved to Hermiston, Oregon. She was the editor of the high school newspaper and graduated as Valedictorian of her class. She went to college and then married her longtime friend from childhood Russell Hudson on August 6, 1955, and they enjoyed 63 years together.
She lived as if her life was a garden-growing a family, nurturing relationships, planting seeds of hope with daily prayers and then harvesting God's provision along the way. One of her hobbies was painting, featuring subjects like horses, cats, other animals, and bucolic landscapes. She also painted large murals, one of which was a two-story rendition of a mountain scene painted in the lobby of one of the downtown buildings in her city. Being an accomplished writer and artist led to some of her work appearing on greeting cards of the famous Leanin' Tree Greeting Card Company. Speaking of cards, she said, "It is a lot of fun to share a real card or letter by mail," something she sent to everyone in her family and circle of friends with regularity, each one personalized with her trademark sentiment and wisdom. Her notes (and emails, too) are now like treasured gifts that live on.
As a married couple with two young girls, they moved several times for Russ' career at IBM, eventually settling in Boulder, CO. One of their hobbies was scouring neighborhood garage sales. They were experts-the early bird got the you-know-what. They knew value and need and were always prepared to share any treasures they found. Their home was perfectly situated next to a school and a park and was well kept and beautifully decorated no matter the season.
Dolores was passionate about her faith and lived it in word and deed. She was a Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) leader for many years, always painstaking in studying and preparing for the weekly meetings. She and Russ were active members of First Presbyterian Church in Boulder, Colorado. They became church members at First Presbyterian Church in Spokane, Washington when they moved there for their retirement years from 1991 on. Her beloved husband Russ went to his eternal rest in 2018, whereupon she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and lived with her daughter Sharon, son-in-law Doug, and granddaughter Sierra, and four cats. She enjoyed the love and friendship of the wonderful people at Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church, her church home for her last seven years. Dolores' garden is her cherished family and friends, in full bloom and a beautiful reflection of her love.
She is survived by her devoted daughters Sharon Slater (Doug) and Diane Lewis (Mark), grandchildren DJ Slater (Teresa), David Slater (Kate), Sierra Slater, and Stephen Lewis; great grandchildren Eleanor and Alex. She has one niece (Judee Russell) and two nephews (John and Steve Watkins) from her late brother Thomas Daulton Watkins plus a nephew (Russ Westmark) from the Hudson side. She was preceded in death by her husband Russ, her parents, her brother and her twin girls Christy and Cathy who died at birth.
She believed "special words mean so much, spoken or written" and her family now welcomes condolences and remembrances. A memorial Service will be held at Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church on Saturday October 25 at 2 pm in Willow Spring, NC.
The family wishes to thank Dolores' thoughtful friends and caregivers at Brookdale Assisted Living as well as the hospice providers from Transitions Life Care.