By Denise Galloway
Daily Record of Dunn
“Whatever she did, she went at it full force.” Faye Bleacher has a lot of stories to back up her statement about her 100-year-old aunt, Dunn native Olese Jernigan Hudson.
Hudson maintains her membership in the American Legion Auxiliary, Dunn Post No. 59, and was recently awarded a meritorious citation for 70 years of continuous membership in the organization.
Hudson says she wasn’t counting the years. “It’s been a part of who I am for a long, long time,” she said. She was surprised to learn it has been 70 years.
Her citation states she has a “record of consistent loyalty” — which seems like an understatement for 70 years of service — and further credits her for being “an outstanding contributor to the accomplishment of the programs of the American Legion.”
Current auxiliary President Cindy Godwin, a cosigner on the citation, says Hudson is “an outstanding lady in every way.” For two consecutive years, 2005 and 2006, Hudson was voted “Member of the Year” at the state level by the State of North Carolina American Legion Auxiliaries, and she served as president of the local auxiliary for six years.
Hudson’s niece, Faye Bleacher, said her aunt was like a second mother to her growing up. Bleacher was a member of the auxiliary as well, and she remembers many of her aunt’s good works.
“Her service to the American Legion Auxiliary was tireless,” said Bleacher.
She continued, “When it was time to give poppies for donations every year, she usually got the highest donations. When they talked about it in the meetings and asked for volunteers, her hand was always the first to go up.”
Bleacher says her aunt was diligent about volunteering and visiting at the VA hospital in Fayetteville. She remembers her aunt would visit often with soldiers, organizing bingo games, taking gift bags, and just spending time visiting with veterans.
Hudson was well known for sending cards — thank you cards, get well cards, sympathy cards, birthday cards. Any chance she got to send a word of encouragement, she took it. Hudson earned the nickname “Sunshine Brigade” for her efforts. The kindness was recently returned to her in overwhelming force. Bleacher reports that her aunt received 180 cards on her 100th birthday in October.
Hudson did all of this while she was working as a cafeteria manager for Harnett County Schools, raising three children, and taking care of her disabled sister (Bleacher’s mother). Bleacher remembers big pots of soup her aunt would make for anyone she knew who was sick.
“That’s the kind of community member she was,” said Bleacher. “She took care of anyone who needed taking care of.”
When asked what motivated her to be so giving, Hudson replied, “I needed help once in a while myself. If you don’t help others, how can you expect them to help you?”
Bleacher described some of the hardships her aunt has overcome — growing up very poor on a farm … walking a mile each way to the school bus stop to attend Plain View School when it only went to 11th grade … losing a husband … raising children alone. Hudson recalls working several jobs to make ends meet, and when her children were old enough each of them had an after school job. “That’s what we lived on,” said Hudson. “I had to do a lot of hard work, but it didn’t hurt me.”
Despite poverty and hardships, somehow Hudson persevered. It is a point of pride that her family farm is still in the family and was recently recognized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture as a “Century Farm” — a program that honors farms that have been in continuous family ownership for 100 years.
Hudson was an active member in the auxiliary until three years ago when she moved to Countryside Manor, a skilled nursing facility in Stokesville, close to her children. Even in skilled nursing, Hudson continues to live life to the fullest. She walks daily, participates in any activity she can including bingo and church services, and attends entertainment. When The Daily Record finally caught up with her, she had just returned from a bingo game where she’d won big (artificial dollars). She’ll be spending them in the “bingo store” later this month.
Hudson continues to be a “Sunshine Brigade” to other residents at Countryside Manor. “I talk to them when I think they need it, or are lonesome.”
Even though she misses Dunn, her farm, and her friends, she understands she needed help. “That’s just the way it is,” she said. “You just have to do the best you can and make the best of where you are.”
Her current goals are to “take life easy and make the best of it.” More good life advice, from someone old enough to know.
