Edward Hudlin

Dr. Edward Warrington Hudlin, PhD, age 68, retired Professor of Philosophy at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Alton Memorial Hospital.
He was born Feb. 14, 1941, in St. Louis, Mo., and graduated from Cahokia High School in 1959. He helped integrate the school after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1955.
He married his wife, Helen Hudlin, April 26, 1981.
Dr. Hudlin was preceded in death by his father, Edward Warrington Hudlin; his mother, Myrtle (Johnson) Hudlin, his first wife, Carol (Wilcox) Hudlin; one sister, Lucille McClelland, PhD, and three brothers: Russell Hudlin, Warrington Hudlin, and Lt. Col. Irving C. Hudlin, PhD.
He is survived by his wife, Helen Hudlin, of Glen Carbon; children: Elizabeth Hudlin (Jevon) Anthony of El Paso, Texas; and Kristin Hudlin of Glen Carbon; grandchildren: Justin and Aa'Niyah Anthony; brother, Richard Hudlin, PhD, of Granite City and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dr. Hudlin was a Professor of Philosophy at SIUE from 1969 to 1996. He received his BA in Philosophy from SIUE in 1965 and his PhD in Philosophy from Columbia University, New York City in 1973. From 1988 to 1990 he was a Fellow at the DuBois Institute of Afro-American Research, Harvard University, and a Visiting Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Harvard. He also was a visiting professor at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Ma.; Babson College, Wellesley, Ma.; and Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Ma., from 1988 to 1990. In spring, 1990, he presented an address "Reflections on the 100th Anniversary of WEB DuBois' Graduation from Harvard" on behalf of the DuBois Institute as part of the commencement ceremonies at Harvard University, June 7, 1990.
As a scholar, Dr. Hudlin presented professional papers "William James and Karma" and "Vedanta and the Socratic Tradition" at the International Conference of Vedanta from 1991 to 1993. He also presented papers "The Influence of William James on WEB DuBois" at The American Philosophical Association (APA) in Atlanta in 1989, "The Philosophy of WEB DuBois" at Harvard in 1989, "Black Film Aesthetics" at the Black Filmmakers Conference in New York City in 1983, "Understanding the Realist Tendency in Cinema" at the APA in 1978, "Film Language" at the APA in Chicago in l977, and "Citizen Kane: A Bridge Between Realism and Expressionism in Cinema" at the APA in Boston in 1972. In 1994 he proposed and developed a new course for SIUE on the Philosophical Basis of Racism.
He was founder and president of the Institute for Humanistic Studies from 1980 to 1987 and was project director of an International Faculty/Student Exchange between the University of Salerno, Italy, and SIUE and director of the Paestum Art Exhibition Project, 1982. He was also project director for the Alton Humanities Project as well as director/moderator for three TV shows "On Understanding the Humanities via the Arts," and writer/director for "East Side Story," a six-part TV series for KETC, Channel 9.
After his retirement Dr. Hudlin was a feature writer for the Lebanon Press and the Edwardsville Intelligencer and produced over 30 articles on various topics. He also served as advisor to the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 2000. He founded in 2003 the Metro East Institute of Lifelong Learning to promote ongoing education and scholarship in the arts and humanities.
He was currently engaged in researching and writing a history of black elites in St. Louis, emphasizing his own family's involvement, and presented an exhibit at St. Louis University on the subject in 2001. He was also engaged with his late brother, Russell Hudlin, in pursuing the life work of the late philanthropist, Malcolm Martin, who wanted to establish an extension of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to the East St. Louis Riverfront.
Dr. Hudlin had many interests and talents, an encyclopedic knowledge of World War II, had memorized all of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas and most Broadway musicals, and was an avid gardener and artist. He had written a one-act play, "Prism," which was produced at SIUE and at the University of Illinois. He also was awarded the "Lover of Wisdom" award in 1994 by the Philosophy students at SIUE.
He traveled extensively to Italy, Germany, Egypt, Greece, and Mexico, and in August this year returned to New York City to visit his beloved alma mater, Columbia. His was a life well lived. He loved his family and children and all humanity. We will miss terribly someone with so much kindness, intelligence, humor, and love of mankind.
Visitation to honor his life will be conducted from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with a memorial service from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Weber and Rodney Funeral Home, 304 N. Main Street in Edwardsville.
The family is hosting a repast immediately following the service at Mount Joy Baptist Church, 327 Olive Street in Edwardsville.