Tammie Hudgins

Tammie Phillips Hudgins, 60, passed away on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at UMMC in Jackson, Mississippi, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. Tammie was born on June 2, 1965, in Greenville, Mississippi, to her parents, Jimmie Lewis Phillips and Maydeen Phillips. She attended Greenville Christian School, where she was a member of the varsity softball team, varsity cheerleader squad, and the Beta Club. During her time in Greenville, she enjoyed modeling for McRae's Department Store and participating in beauty pageants.
While in Greenville, Tammie met the love of her life, Kerry Hudgins. Kerry was working in Greenville when he stopped to grab a bite of food at the Quik Kurb Grocery store owned by Tammie's parents, Jimmie and Maydeen. Maydeen took one look at Kerry and told him she had a daughter that he needed to meet. Maydeen introduced Kerry to Tammie, and they have been inseparable ever since their first meeting. Tammie and Kerry enjoyed 42 years of marriage together and went on to have two beautiful children, Phillip and Heather. Tammie and Kerry eventually moved to Kosciusko, Mississippi, where they raised their children and became deeply rooted in their community.
She was a beloved member of First Presbyterian Church and spent many years ministering to those around her, not just at Church but everywhere she went with a gentle word and a kind smile. Tammie loved God with all of her heart, and it showed in the way she lived her life. Tammie loved people; she was always checking in with friends, encouraging them, loving them, and comforting them in times of need. Tammie never met a stranger and would help anyone in need.
Giving back to others was always something Tammie felt inspired to do. Together, she and Kerry opened their home and their lives to five foreign exchange students from around the world. Later in her life, Tammie loved the nurses who cared for her in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at UMMC. She was always keeping them on their toes, joking with them, and they made sure she always had her favorite Strawberry Kiwi Boost. Tammie loved bright, bold colors and loved filling her home and yard with colorful plants and flowers.
Spending time with family and friends was a hallmark for Tammie, and she cherished the time she had with them. She would often spend time conversing with others on the phone for hours at a time. She was blessed to be surrounded by those closest to her at her passing.
Tammie is survived by her beloved husband, Kerry Hudgins; her son, Phillip Hudgins, and her daughter, Heather Hudgins; her mother, Maydeen Phillips Lee; her brother Ken Phillips (Amy); her sisters-in-law Pam Phillips and Shirley Phillips; her aunt Bobbie Ruth McBride, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Jimmie Lewis Phillips, and her brothers Lewis Phillips and Jimmy Gregory Phillips, along with both her maternal and paternal grandparents.
Visitation will be Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (noon) at Kosciusko First Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will be held immediately after with her burial taking place at Parkway Cemetery. Rev. Phillip Palmertree and Rev. James Devenish will preside over the services. Pallbearers will be John Patrick Phillips, Michael Hudgins, Tyler Hudgins, Jeff Gowan, Kyle Morgan, and Hunter Collins, along with honorary pallbearers, David Baker and Larry Baker.