James Watts Hudgens

Spartanburg_ James Watts Hudgens, 77, passed away at his home on September 22nd, 2017. He had been battling ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, for years. A native of Spartanburg, Jim was born January 20, 1940, to the late TK Hudgens, Jr. and Alice Ruth Johnson. He was a dedicated member of the community, providing service over the years to the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg Music Foundation, Mobile Meals and YMCA Spartanburg. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church. Jim began his career as a trial lawyer as a clerk to Justice C. Bruce Littlejohn, Supreme Court of South Carolina and he spent his professional career with the Ward Law Firm. He was a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Jim attended Darlington School in Rome Georgia, Vanderbilt University and graduated from Wofford College and University of Tennessee Law School. He was a proud U.S. Navy veteran (1961-1965), serving as Communications Officer onboard USS Navarro.   He was the husband of Patricia Hudgens, father to Sara Katherine Hudgens Jones, James Watts Hudgens, Jr. (Kara), Thomas King Hudgens II (Christy) and Mary Kennedy Hudgens Peteranna (Steven Birch), and grandfather to Charles Watts Peteranna, Thomas King Hudgens III and Woods Carter Hudgens. He was predeceased by a brother, Thomas Kennedy Hudgens. The family will receive friends beginning at 11:30AM at Morningside Baptist Church, 897 S. Pine Street, Spartanburg, followed by a memorial service at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. A private burial will be held for the family following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SCALSA, the ALS Association South Carolina Chapter (www.scalsa.org), 7499 Park Lane Rd, Suite 144, Columbia, SC, 29223 or to the charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be left online at www.jmdunbar.com Dunbar Funeral Home& Crematory