[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 15, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING RONALD HUDSON

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON LEWIS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 15, 2006

  Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the life of a remarkable citizen from my congressional district. Ronald 
Hudson, a longtime resident of Leitchfield, Kentucky, passed away 
February 20th at age 65. Mr. Hudson was a colorful and widely respected 
figure in Grayson County, having served on the Leitchfield Fire 
Department for 46 years, 31 of those as Chief.
  In a recent feature story in the Grayson County News-Gazette, Chief 
Hudson described himself as ``not a poster boy firefighter'' when he 
first joined the department in 1959. With typical self deprecating 
humor, he described himself as ``too short and too skinny, with trouble 
taking anything serious for any length of time.'' He credited the late 
Murrell Conklin, then Chief Emeritus of the Leitchfield Department for 
coaching him through his first few years, helping to mold him into a 
serious firefighter and public servant.
  Ronald Hudson was named Chief after only 12 years of service on the 
department. As Chief, he was responsible for training and managing a 
diverse crew of firefighters, purchasing and maintaining fire 
apparatus, and perpetually pursuing sources of funding to keep the 
department running. Chief Hudson was personally responsible for 
countless acts of heroism throughout his four decades as a firefighter. 
Yet he always humbled himself with the tough reality of all emergency 
personnel: You can go from hero to zero and back again in a matter of 
seconds.
  Chief Hudson's contributions to his community, staring down danger 
time and time again to save lives and protect the safety and comfort of 
his neighbors, has made Leitchfield a fine place to live for many 
years. Ronald Hudson's life, career, and especially his final years 
fighting against his own declining health, was the true epitome of 
courage and generosity of spirit.
  In addition to his position on the Fire Department, Chief Hudson also 
served as Grayson County Coroner and was a member of the American 
Legion Post 81, the Leitchfield Masonic Lodge, and the Fraternal Order 
of Police. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and owned and operated a 
small business from 1983 to 2002.
  Ronald Hudson's distinguished life of service to his community and 
his country, along with his unwavering dedication to his family and 
fellow firefighters, is a portrait of outstanding citizenship worthy of 
our collective respect and appreciation. It is my great privilege to 
honor his memory today before the entire United States House of 
Representatives.

                          ____________________