On June 8, 1929, Agnes Nadine Hudson was born in Burnwell to Clarence Hudson and Nancy Thompson Hudson. Her father died too young at age 32, and Agnes was only 9. The Hudson family moved to Oak Hill, the place that would become Agnes’s favorite town in the world.
She married Kelly Ross Williams Sr., and they made their home in Oak Hill. They had five children both parents liked to call “the five wonderful Williams children.”
She is survived by those children and their spouses: Susan Williams and husband, David Hartung, of Falls View, Kelly Ross Williams Jr. and his wife, Gerry Katz, of Morgantown, Gary Williams and his wife, Diane of Oak Hill, John Williams and his wife, Lisa, of Atascadero, Calif., Polly Charbonneau and her husband, Michael, of Mechanicsburg, Pa. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren; her beloved sister, Nancy Shott, of Oak Hill. Two brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law also survive her. She was the favorite aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Kelly Ross Williams Sr. preceded her in death.
As she raised her children in Oak Hill, she enjoyed taking them to the movies where she would always shout “Look out!” to help the good guys. She would vigorously elbow whoever sat next to her in exciting movies. As her children got older and opted to move away from her seat, brave nephews and even a future son-in-law dared to take the elbow to the ribs.
As a young person, she dreamed of becoming a clothing designer and drew sketches of the clothes she created. She started sewing when her children were young, and her skills as a seamstress grew yearly. She made many stunning outfits for family, friends and customers, and she made wedding gowns for both of her daughters. When she first started sewing, she learned from her great friend, Joyce Treadway, whom she met when they were both in high school. In later years, she learned many complicated sewing techniques from another amazing seamstress, her great friend Ann Chafin.
She raised her children in the Oak Hill Baptist Church where she also had a strong core of friends, including Ramona Malcolm, who were raising their children at the same time. Those women were Agnes’s lifelong friends, and she loved them and their children dearly. She became friends with all of her children’s friends also. Her children constantly heard people tell them, “I just love your mother!”
While at the Oak Hill Baptist Church, her Sunday School class raised money to buy new shoes for children in need. Agnes always took those children to the shoe store where she made sure they were properly fitted and purchased new socks for them, too. She was known for many acts of generosity. For example, when a family who lived near her lost their home to fire, she invited the whole family to live with her seven-member family until they could find a new home.
Even though she was thoroughly grounded in her daily life, she also took airplane flying lessons.
Her children always knew she loved them, and her grandchildren were a special delight to her. She was able to attend when her daughter Polly gave birth to Polly’s son, Joseph. After seeing this birth, Agnes said, “I witnessed a miracle.”
She also felt blessed to travel to her son John’s home in California to assist him and his wife, Lisa, as they welcomed their children Violet and Ian into the world.
In her career, she first went to work for Dr. Cleve H. Wilmoth, a dentist in Oak Hill. She always said she learned so much at this job and had great respect for Dr. Wilmoth. She took time off to raise her children but returned to the work force as an admissions clerk at the emergency room at Plateau Medical Center. When she joined the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, she became the first woman law enforcement deputy and later, the first woman jailer. At times, she was also called on to be a circuit court bailiff. At each place she worked, she made great friends. She always called the law enforcement deputies she worked with “my brothers.” When she moved to Cheverly, Md., she began work at the front desk of DoubleTree Suites (later called Guest Quarters) in Washington D.C. She often joked that as an emergency room clerk, a jailer and as a hotel worker, she checked people in and assigned them a place to sleep. The elegant hotel was near Kennedy Center, and she met movie stars, celebrities and politicians while she worked at the hotel. She also earned many awards for her outstanding service to her clients.
When she returned to Oak Hill, she soon realized she was surrounded on Highland Ave. with the most supportive, protective and loving neighbors imaginable. She loved each of her neighbors, and they loved her and helped her daily. Her home on Highland Ave. was a center for interesting people who liked to drop in to talk. She enjoyed nothing better than to have friends and family visit her home daily. She said she felt “nourished” by talking with people she cared about.
A small army of relatives and friends who were good with tools kept her car and home running.
Her son, Gary lived near her, and he helped her daily. Family friends Ethel Williams and B.J. Ayers also provided support.
Agnes celebrated everyone’s accomplishments, and she was always proud of her daughter Susan’s writing projects.
When she became a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Oak Hill, she made many friends in this church whom she loved and cherished.
She spent her finals days in Morgantown at the home of her son, Kelly Williams and daughter-in-law, Gerry Katz. Her daughter Polly also moved into the Morgantown house to help give Agnes the most amazing around-the-clock care possible. Her children and their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other loved ones were able to visit her there.
On the morning of Sept. 12, her two daughters were at her bedside when she opened her eyes. The first words out of her mouth were, “I am happy!”
She left this earth Sept. 17, 2024, the night of the supermoon. She was 95 years old.
As she entered her 90s, she often said, “I am a miracle.” She was indeed.
Agnes never wanted a funeral.
