Samuel Edward Hudgins

Samuel “Sam” Edward Hudgins was born March 4, 1929 to John Edward Hudgins and Mary Etta Fowler Hudgins in New Brockton, Alabama. He passed away on April 29, 2022 at the age of 93 in Atlanta, Georgia. Sam was raised on a farm in Malone, Florida and graduated top of his class from Malone High School. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy in order to put himself through college on the G.I. Bill. Four years later, he graduated with top honors from the University of Alabama. Shortly after college, in 1951, Sam was employed by Arthur Andersen & Co. as an accountant in the Atlanta office. He went on to spend thirty-seven years of his career with the company. He opened the Chattanooga, TN office of Arthur Andersen in 1960, and nine years later returned to Atlanta as partner in charge of the Southeastern U.S. and later, partner in charge of Federal Services in Washington, D.C. In 1986, Sam took early retirement to become President of Atlantic American Corporation. Throughout his life, Sam enjoyed serving on numerous civic, corporate, and educational boards including: Emory University Board of Visitors, Oglethorpe University, Berry College, First National/Wachovia Bank, Biltmore Funds, and Presbyterian Homes. Sam was a long-standing member of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta where he served as an Elder. He was also a member of The Atlanta Rotary Club, Piedmont Driving Club, Capital City Club, and Peachtree Golf Club where he spent many hours enjoying a good game of golf with friends and grandchildren. Sam was also a proud supporter of The University of Alabama and enthusiastically cheered on the Crimson Tide’s football team Saturdays in the fall. Actively involved in the “Carter for President'' campaign and Carter transition team, he and his wife Janet attended many functions at the White House. An avid jogger, Sam always enjoyed running the Peachtree Road Race and loved to run in foreign cities as part of his travels abroad. His favorite destination was Ireland where he often reminisced about singing “Danny Boy” in an Irish pub. He had a beautiful tenor voice and sang in several church choirs and, during the waning days of his life, he was still singing his favorite hymn “How Great Thou Art” for family and caretakers alike. Family was the highlight of his life and his wife Janet was the love of his life. He married Janet Epting in 1951, three months after meeting on a blind date and they celebrated more than seventy years together. Sam is survived by wife Janet, sister Marsha Wallace (Larry), daughter Jan and son-in-law David Lankford, daughter Julie and son-in-law John Lauten, and son John. He was a beloved Pop-Pop to his grandchildren Will Lankford (Morgan), Caroline Lankford-Beasley (Gordon), Sam Lauten, Susanna Lauten, Harrison Hudgins and Marie Hudgins. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held on May 12 at 11:00 am in the Winship Chapel of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta in Midtown. -------------------------------------------------------------------------