Frieda Winfrey Hudson

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Frieda Winfrey Hudson passed away (peacefully) shortly after midnight on Wednesday, August 16th after bravely battling through struggles that a catastrophic stroke created more than 15 years prior.

Frieda is survived by her daughters, Nancy Hudson (Chris) and Jessica Hudson Wenzel (Florian); grandchildren, Brayden and Benjamin; brother, Sandy Winfrey (Kathy); nephew, Hank Winfrey; and nieces, Rebecca, Samantha and Elizabeth Winfrey.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Nancy Winfrey; sister, Sallie Winfrey; and brother, Gray Winfrey.

The following was written by her daughter, Jessica.

I volunteered to put her life on a piece of paper soon after her death - before fully realizing the magnitude of this project (anecdotally, this behavior seems to be genetic) or how I would even begin to appropriately honor the person, sister, friend, neighbor, and journalist that was my Mom.

So, I turned to what she knew and loved- the newspaper. Page after page of archived editions were gently turned and studied for a few hours on the Saturday morning following her death. Years of celebrations, devastations, crime, and subsequent punishment; Frieda could be found in the middle of it all (or occasionally stirring the pot from the sidelines). Recurring themes began to spring to life through my mother's writing that included her love for Pamlico County, her friends, her family, and absolute integrity in all of her journalistic endeavors. Mom was a passionate advocate for the community and unapologetic in shining a spotlight on anything she felt necessary for the readers to know. Her wit and sense of humor remain unmatched - if you fell down in front of Momma, she was gonna laugh at you while she helped you up.

Understanding the shoes needed to fill the job of writing a synopsis of Frieda Hudson's life would be much too large for me, I turned to her archived opinion pieces for guidance and planned to use snippets of her writing to memorialize her life's passion. To my surprise, Mom actually took a comparable approach after her father and former owner/editor of the Pamlico News died. I am both honored and saddened to give you all the last edition of "For What It's Worth," which will be a culmination of a few favorite pieces from Henry and Frieda, with a bit of my commentary mixed within.

From 1977 until her stroke in 2007, Frieda worked in various positions within The Pamlico News. After the death of her Father, Henry Winfrey in 1998 she assumed the role of Editor and fulfilled those duties until she fell ill. Some weeks before his death, Henry drafted an edition of "For What It's Worth," that broached the transition of Mom into the role of editor and it was published (unedited) by a fantastic former journalist named Sandy Seamans.

The next paragraph was her pledge to the community.

"Thus I pledge that the newspaper will strive to create an informed citizenry; that it will be state, editorially, when it believes your actions are good and when it feels your actions are not good. At the same time, I pledge to remember that when the paper takes a position, it may not necessarily be the right one. I hope when you disagree, you will remember that every issue has two sides and that airing both sides is fair and good. My goal, then, for the newspaper is for it to help the people in Pamlico County by informing them about what's happening in their county: for it is to help elected officials by providing them with a way to communicate with those who elected them to serve; and to help the merchants in the county by being an effective way for them to advertise their products and services."

Mom never lost her eloquence in words, but the deficits from her stroke were notable. Despite her physical and mental limitations, she continued to fully embrace the life she was given and didn't slow down for anything or anyone. She was the long-standing president of the residents' committee within the skilled nursing facility she resided, adored bingo, and was always my "go-to" for proofreading papers, letters, etc. She kept busy and had a purpose. Frieda Hudson was the picture of perseverance despite any obstacle and will always be the strongest person I've ever known.

Life isn't merely a sequence of events and successes or failures, but how we react to dynamic change. I can state with confidence that Frieda acclimated and rose above any and all challenges the universe presented her with grace and a smile.

As Mom wrote in an obituary for a friend many years ago:

"And so, dear friend, rest now. There's no more pain and sadness. And you are due for your sleep. We love you and will keep your memory warm."

The end of an era is the beginning of something new. Sweet dreams, Momma - We love you and will keep your memory warm.

Her memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 22nd at Daniels-Sadler Funeral Home Chapel.