Kay Hudson

Kay Hudson was born Kay Helen Goelzer to Ardys Buenger and Kenneth James Goelzer on September 10, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She died in Houston, Texas on May 21, 2021 after a fast-moving battle with cancer.

Kay was a good-natured soul, whose intelligence, creativity, and wit will remain always as her legacy. She was also an adventurer and had a marble plaque on her desk that read, “The best man for a job is often a woman.”

While attending Florida State University, she met her life mate, Jack Carroll Hudson. Jack was not only her husband, lover, and best friend, but also her research partner.

She did graduate work in anthropology and archeology at Tulane University in New Orleans. Afterwards, she spent many years writing archeological survey reports and contributing archeological and historical background sections for environmental impact reports, predominantly on the Southwest Texas coast. She always said this work taught her, among other things, that the Army Corp of Engineers is not an organization with a strong appreciation of humor.

After Jack’s death in 2002, Kay switched careers. Using her logic and smarts, she went to work for long-time friend Jo Anne Banker in her small bookkeeping service. During this time, Kay focused on another talent, her creative writing.

Kay started writing fan fiction on long-forgotten TV shows when she was in elementary school. In high school, she advanced to research papers, including one on the French actress Sarah Bernhardt, perhaps because of her father’s tendency to call her Sarah Heartburn in her more dramatic moments. Kay was a past-president and long-time volunteer at Houston Bay Area Chapter of Romance Writers of America® and a member of the League of Romance Writers. She was a four-time finalist and one-time winner of RWA’s Golden Heart® contest. Her first novel, Jinn & Tonic , was recently published. It is a delightful fantasy adventure and romantic romp available on amazon.com

If you would like to honor Kay’s memory, she requested donations be made to either of her two favorite charities, Houston Food Bank, 535 Portwall, Houston, TX, or Houston Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals, 7007 Old Katy Road, Houston, TX.

SERVICE INFORMATION :

A celebration of Kay’s life will be held at the home of Jo Anne Banker on a Saturday afternoon sometime in the next month or so.
When arrangements have been finalized, Jo Anne will post the information here, on Facebook, and with various writing groups.