Meet mildred hudson

Mildred turned 84 last October, and it’s quite clear that she enjoys life and the people she continues to meet along the way.  She has been a resident at Allen Manor for over three years, having moved from Des Moines to Grand Rapids in 2015. She has an obvious desire to get along with and love her neighbors.


Mildred grew up in Hamilton, GA, a small town in Harris County.  Her Dad was a farmer, and she has fond memories of being on a farm and the work and play associated with a rural upbringing.  Even with Hamilton’s notorious past, Mildred recalls her childhood as a time when folks got along just fine. She walked five miles to an integrated one-room schoolhouse.  In all her years in school, she had only had one teacher... and her name was also Mildred! Eventually, she ended up moving to Columbia County, GA with her two sisters and living there with her Mom.



A move to Des Moines, IA in 1970 became a significant event in Mildred’s journey.  It was there that she raised her son and developed strong friendships and family connections.  However, her life there was not free from heartache and pain, and Mildred has keen memories of loss among her friends’ families.


Right now, Mildred likes her apartment and the friends she has made at Allen Manor, though she misses having a good-sized yard and a place to grow some vegetables.  She loves babies and young children and maintains an interest in gardening. She also really enjoys playing cards and bingo and bowling at the United Methodist Community House.  Yet, Mildred’s greatest joy is being part of her church family (the Lighthouse Full Life Center on Madison Avenue). Her faith has always been foundational to her life, and she has a long history with the Church of God in Christ denomination.  While she has concerns about the health of her son and her aging sister, she is navigating this season of her life with a great, abiding trust in God’s promises.