Obituary

James “Jim” Virgil Hudson was born September 27, 1942, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Virgil and Juanita (Miller) Hudson. He passed from this life into the arms of Jesus on September 24, 2026, surrounded by his two daughters, Allyson and Amy.

Jim was a proud graduate of Charles Page High School, Class of 1960. Though life took him many places, his Sand Springs roots remained important to him, and when he returned in 2008, it felt like coming home.

Jim proudly served his country in the United States Army. On January 10, 1969, he married Linda Mae Archer, the love of his life. They shared 50 years of marriage, family, ministry and a whole lot of laughter.

Jim attended Gulf Coast Bible College in Houston, Texas, and was ordained in the Church of God, Anderson. Ministry became a lifelong calling. Jim and Linda pastored churches in Texas and Oklahoma, and Jim also served as a music minister in Free Will Baptist and Nazarene churches. His ministry was never limited to a church building.
For Jim, loving people was ministry.

Music was woven throughout his life. Jim was an incredible singer and self-taught pianist who could read music and play by ear. Even later in life, he entertained fellow nursing home residents by playing hymns, taking requests and singing along.
Jim was also a professional school photographer and commercial printer. He loved antiques, words, stories, laughter and making people feel welcome. He and Linda could be a walking comedy show, constantly teasing one another and playing practical jokes. After Linda passed away, Jim missed her every day.

Whatever life threw at Jim, he battled through it with faith, determination and more than a little stubbornness. One of his greatest losses came when his 13-year-old son, Clayton, passed away. Clayton was a beacon of light, and for 42 years, his dad never stopped missing him.

Of all the roles Jim held, the ones he treasured most were Dad, Grandpa and PaPa. He was the proud father of Clayton, Allyson and Amy, and bonus son Brendan. He was incredibly proud of his grandchildren, Steven, Olivia and Hudson. He was the kind of dad who came running, no matter how old his children were or what they needed. If they called, Dad showed up.

And Jim was “Dad” to many more.

He took people in, mentored them, prayed with them, offered a helping hand and opened his home to people who needed somewhere to land. He believed every human being had value and that no one was ever too far gone for the grace of God.

Near the end of his life, a hospital tech described Jim as a “seer of the unseen.” It was a fitting description of a man who noticed people others sometimes overlooked and made sure they knew they mattered. In his final days, nurses, techs, dietitians and others who cared for him stopped by his room to tell his family how much they loved him and what he had meant to them.

Jim is survived by his children, Allyson Hudson (John Davis), Amy Alexander (Shawn), and bonus son Brendan Rumph (Jodi); his grandchildren, Steven Yeoman (Elizabeth), Olivia Alexander, and Hudson Alexander; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and countless friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Juanita Hudson; his beloved wife of 50 years, Linda Mae (Archer) Hudson; his 13-year-old son, Clayton James Hudson; and his sister, Arlita McCrary.

Jim spent a lifetime pointing people toward Jesus and reminding them, through his words and by simply showing up, that they mattered.

His suffering is over. After 42 years, he is reunited with Clayton. He is with Linda again, the woman he loved and missed every day. Most of all, he is home with Jesus, the Savior he spent his life serving.

Jim leaves behind a simple but powerful legacy:

You mattered to him. He saw you. He loved you. And you are never too far gone for God’s grace.