BEDFORD – Don Hudson, the beloved owner of Hudson Photo and Hobby on the square in Bedford, passed away on Wednesday. He was 85.
A familiar face in the downtown community for decades, Hudson was known for his twin passions: photography and a vast array of hobbies, including model trains, radio-controlled aircraft, and complex, scratch-built boats. His family also remembered him for his love of making people laugh.
“If you knew my dad, then you knew he liked to make people laugh,” Kevin shared. “Rodney Dangerfield was his favorite comedian of all time. Dad used to recite his jokes one right after another.”
A Life of Hobbies and Entrepreneurship
Originally from Oklahoma, Hudson’s professional journey began with J.C. Penney, which eventually brought him to Bedford. It was here that his lifelong fascination with the local caves led him to a career change. In the late 1960s and 1970s, he became a serious caver and photographed almost every cave in southern Indiana.
His exceptional cave photography led to a request to shoot a wedding, and from there, his photography business took off. He eventually left his job at the bank and became a full-time photographer in 1983. In 1988, he purchased the building on the courthouse square and quickly added the hobby shop, catering to a community he said needed one. He and his son, Kevin Hudson, operated the business together, with Kevin taking over much of the photography work in recent years.
“I’ve been a hobbyist all my life,” Don Hudson once said, “But I have to say photography is the first love, because that’s what pays the bills.”
The Master Modeler
Don Hudson was a voracious hobbyist who enjoyed sharing his creations and encouraging others to take up a pursuit. He was a master of woodworking and complex model building, creating elaborate railroad layouts and massive model airplanes, including a scratch-built, four-propeller TWA Constellation with a 100-inch wingspan.
In his later years, he became particularly dedicated to building model boats, many of them constructed from scratch. He noted he was never too old to accomplish a new build, once stating, “I guess I just don’t want to grow up,” when he turned 70.
Some of his most impressive boat projects include a 5 1/2-foot-long model of the Alpha Z, a highly exclusive design for which he was granted permission to build, provided he didn’t sell it. His boat constructions were often viewed at Hudson Photo and Hobby Supply, where he would work on them in his shop area.
His family noted that a loss of speech in his final years was a source of frustration, as it prevented him from telling his beloved jokes as he always had.
Funeral Arrangements
Services for Don Hudson are scheduled for Thursday, October 9, at 10:00 a.m. at Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne Family Funeral Homes, 818 18th Street, Bedford. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and again on Thursday morning from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service.
Memories and condolences may be shared, and flowers ordered, at www.FergusonLee.com.
“He lived 85 wonderful years,” his son Kevin said.. “We will miss him so badly.”
