Wade Clinton Hudson

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved brother, uncle, family member, friend, pool player and colleague.  Wade Clinton Hudson passed away September 3, 2025, at his home, surrounded by his family.  Though words cannot fully capture the depth of our loss, we honor Wade and the life he lived well.

After sadly losing our big brother Shawn Gregory Hudson at 5 months old, Greg and Cheryl Hudson welcomed their new rainbow baby to the world.  Wade Clinton Hudson was born August 2, 1975, in Sidney, MT.  Wade’s birth brought a new sense of love, laughter and happiness to his parents and family.  After a few short years of being spoiled rotten, he was then joined by his little sister, Wendy, who followed his lead, everywhere he went, everything he did, and always found ways to constantly pester her big brother!  Their bond as siblings was an inseparable bond, these two lived like best friends.

Wade’s life began in the countrysides of Eastern Montana and after a move to the Miles City (Ismay area), Wade ‘s love for the ranch life began to grow and would stay instilled inside of his heart till the end.  He was always by his dad Greg’s side: learning how to run a tractor to put up hay or feed, learning about the circle of life through cattle, learning how to become a hard-working, dedicated, and fun-loving human being.  Dad taught Wade how to hunt and fish also and his love for the outdoors grew, with many years of going back and still hunting in the Miles City area, even long after we had moved.  At a young age of 3ish years old, Wade’s ultimate passions, baseball and pool, were first introduced to him on the ranch too.  Wade began playing baseball in Miles City and continued to play some form of ball for years to come.  From his time living there and thereafter, Wade’s skills grew and his appreciation, understanding, and passion for the love of both games soared till the end.  Wade’s mom, Cheryl, showed him the ways of being a compassionate, kind-hearted person, being a listener and shoulder for friends and family to lean on when needed, and she also showed him how to talk endless hours long through the night, swapping stories from days gone past or finding ways to solve the world’s problems.  During this time, Wade also began his model train collection that could be in a museum of itself someday if it ever gets put back together.  After 10 years of being in the Miles City area, Wade moved around Montana living on various ranches, but even after all these moves, Wade’s love for family and appreciation of life will always remain with his Miles City roots; Miles City was definitely one for the books, for sure!

Wade lived in Molt and graduated from Rapelje High School in 1993 with a whopping class size of 5!  During that time period he played other sports like basketball and track and field, but his love for baseball and pool still burned inside of him.  Wade spent his summers helping neighbors harvest, driving grain trucks for them.  He was a main part of the Rocketry Program that was started using technology and CNC Milling machines.  This program had no instructions for it; Wade and his classmates were the ones who figured it out.  Wade later went on to attend 2 years of college at Western Montana College.

After taking a year off from college, Wade worked for a short time at Roscoe Steel.  He then decided he loved manufacturing and engineering, so with the west coast calling his name, he moved and attended 4 years at OIT (Oregon Institute of Technology) in Klamath Falls, Oregon where he eventually graduated with his Manufacturing and Engineering Bachelor’s Degree.

Wade ventured back home to Montana and began working at Roscoe Steel once again, gaining even more knowledge and understanding of the steel industry.  He then moved into a management position at Agri-Systems where he helped design and fabricate grain elevators and terminals that still remain all over Montana and North Dakota.  For a short stint, Wade ventured out and worked for the Pyrotechnic Place in Columbus building fireworks that went all over the world.  He finally switched jobs to Pacific Steel, where he had been for the last 8 years.  Wade told us he wasn’t sure what his job title really was there, but it had something to do with being in charge of the Northwest Regional Sales for rebar.  Wade loved the challenge of designing and yet solving problems when needed, Wade loved the steel industry and the process it took to create amazing structures that are all around and standing still today!  During Wade’s career he met some amazing people who he worked with for many years in all the various locations.

Since Wade had been in college, he also continued to pursue his other 2 passions in life once again, baseball and pool!  He played softball for many years for the Thunder fairies Co-ed Team and also the B&B Men’s team.  During the other 3 seasons of the year, Wade spent his time indoors finding himself a game at some bar or pool hall!  He played in the pool league with our dad and the Fritzler family for many years.  Through the last 25+ years, Wade also had many other traveling partners/teams to shoot pool with through the various tournaments who meant a lot to Wade too.  Pool was a place where Wade loved to laugh and socialize, he could always be caught making his wise cracks or even smack-talking at times I’m sure.  Cranking up the jukebox and getting the jam-session going was another favorite he loved.  Each person who knew Wade I’m sure has a vivid memory or imprint of his remarkable spirit, which hopefully will be cherished for a long time.

Wade spent much of his free time down at Todd and Wendy’s ranch, whether it was for a holiday, or to help move cattle when needed or just to go along for the ride while hunting to spot the “big ones” for them.  Wade never just got to come sit around and relax like he thought he’d get to do, we always had something “planned” for him to help us with!   During his time, he managed to get his giant mule deer, which he was extremely proud of.

When Wade wasn’t chasing his work dreams and pool dreams, he spent his time down in Wyoming chasing his nieces around!  Allizah, Kinley, and puppy dog - Kona were the sparkles to Uncle Wade’s life when they came along.  Whether it was building toy ranches, creating structures with Legos, putting puzzles together, having puppet shows, creating some sort of music jam session, playing fetch (yes he played fetch with all of them), or even just snuggling up to read books together; he even got a play-do cookie to eat or cup of mud tea to drink from time to time!  Uncle Wade and his nieces had a pretty special bond!    

The one thing that can be said about Wade is, he knew HOW TO LIVE!  He LIVED LIFE to the fullest, the only way he knew how!  Even when sickness tried to take his spirit from him, he still LIVED!  He still showed up and fought through it all to LIVE AND ENJOY THE MOMENT!  Many people would be knocked down or make excuses, but not Wade, he grabbed life by the horns, and he LIVED every chance he got!  He went traveling with family and friends, often to places he had never been or found himself a pool game or a round of golf somewhere, even if he had to drive up and back all in a days’ worth of time!  He took on adventures of skydiving, he even had at one point zip-lined down Freemont Street in Vegas!  Wade was very seldom home and when he was, he was usually watching a baseball game or a pool game.   He never got worked up over much and if he did, you very seldom knew it, he usually smiled and said, “Everything’s just Fine, I’m Fine!” or “Things will work out somehow”.  Even at the end of life, Wade was still determined to LIVE OUT HIS DREAMS, no matter what obstacles were in his way, and he did, ONE DAY AT A TIME AND EVEN ONE PURCHASE AT A TIME!

Wade is survived by his sister, Wendy Moore (Todd) and niece Allizah Moore, also Kona-Dog, his brothers from other muddahs & fadduhs: Shawn “Tater” Erickson, Andy Herzog, Sean Fritzler, and Beau Fritzler, along with many other extended aunts, uncles and cousins.  

Wade is preceded in death by his Parents Greg and Cheryl Hudson and Grand/Great grandparents:  Marge Hudson, Thelma & Williard Hudson, Clinton Tibbits, and Gladys Tibbits.  Wade finally gets to meet our oldest brother Shawn Hudson, too, it’s been a long time coming!  His youngest niece, Kinley Greyson Moore, also proceeded Wade in death and we know for a fact she was running up with open arms to welcome her Uncle Wade at Heaven’s gates!  We can only imagine what kind of a reunion they all must be having!

The family would like to send out a special thank you to all the Medical Staff at Intermountain Health from the past few years, the Stillwater Hospice Staff from this past week, Remington Letcher Funeral Chapel and all other friends and family who have reached out, stopped by, or have helped Wade’s time on Earth at the end be a smooth transition for him to join his loved ones in Heaven.  Thank you all.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, September 12, 2025, at the Rock Church 820 W. 9th St, Laurel, MT, at 10:00 am.  There will be no graveside services, however, the family of Wade Hudson would like you all to join in food and fellowship to follow immediately after the service.

Wade, may your legacy always live on through all of us who have been touched by your presence somewhere in our lives.  May we all remember not to take Life for Granted, and to always find a way to LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST!  Love ya forever, Wade, catch ya on the flip side!