Margery
Lou Salm Hudson passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 29, 2024,
at Barre Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation in Barre, Vt. She was
born on August 13, 1929, to Raymond Welch and Wilhelmena Dreyer Salm
in Westfield, N.J. She grew up there on the historically designated
“Boulevard” with her parents; beloved older brother, Raymond Jr.;
and special neighbor Reiki. She attended Westfield High School and
graduated a proud “Blue Devil.”
Margery
enrolled at the University of Vermont, where she met her future
husband, true love and best friend, John “Jack” Henry Hudson.
Presumably, it was because of her proximity by way of the Grasse
Mount women’s dorm and her Kappa Alpha Theta sorority to Jack’s
Delta Psi fraternity that they met and took to each other. Their
respective tennis courts were next to each other.
When
Jack graduated in 1949, he returned to his hometown of Montpelier,
Vt., to begin work at Brown Insurance Agency with his father, Henry.
Plans were made after Margery graduated in 1951 to marry in
Westfield. She bravely relocated to Montpelier to make a home and
start a family. John “Jud” Henry Jr. soon entered the world,
followed by Peter Raymond. Up on the hill, Marge (and Jack) civilized
her eventual “sanctuary,” encouraging her boys to explore, be
active and make friends. Her family interacted frequently with Jack’s
mom and dad, Marguerite and Henry; brother and sister-in-law, Ashley
and Joss; and nephews Skip, Bruce and Dana. Jack’s boyhood friends
Jim and Connie (Jones) Seivwright became her best friends for life.
During
summer, the family would venture to New Jersey when Jack attended
U.S. Army Reserve summer camp at Fort Dix. Margery and the boys spent
wonderful times with her parents in Westfield and with her brother,
Ray Jr., and sister-in-law Millicent in Shrewsbury, along with her
nephews and nieces Ray III, Lynn, Jeffery, Leslie, John and Allison.
Having associated herself with the Dreyer Farm in Freehold, N.J.,
where Wilhelmena grew up, Margery was an avid farmstand patron in the
“West Fields of Elizabeth.” She enjoyed sharing this experience
with Jud and Peter and instilled the importance of Jersey tomatoes
and sweet corn, in particular. It was also in Margery’s, Gram’s
and Gramp’s interest to introduce Jud and Peter to Point Pleasant
and Island Beach, on the Jersey Shore, during those fabulous summers.
She accompanied her father, brother, Jud, Peter and the older Salm
cousins to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. That same summer, she
and Jack took the boys to their first professional baseball game to
watch the Yankees at their original stadium, with Whitey Ford
starting as pitcher and Mickey Mantle in the field.
Being
a stay-at-home mom, Margery shared in the supervision of neighborhood
children with Joyce Nash and Norma Cecchini. Her surrogate parents
were Iris and Dave Hoare, who lived next door. Later, Judy and Larry
Austin and family, as well as Doris Pryce, always checked in on her
well-being after Jack’s passing.
Margery
was active in her Montpelier community. She and her family were
members of the Bethany Congregational Church, where she helped
organize functions such as the Christmas Bazaar and rummage and bake
sales. She was a den mother with Jud’s Cub Scout pack and a member
of the American Association of University Women, where she organized
receptions for the Montpelier High School National Honor Society,
Silver M and other academic organizations. She and Jack were
cofounders and participants of the MHS Boosters Club. Additionally,
she volunteered at the Central Vermont Hospital’s Auxiliary,
operating the gift and card shop, the latter being her pride and joy.
She and Jack took in nephews Bruce and Dana when Ashley and Joss
vacationed in Florida and the tropics.
After
Jud and Peter left for college and beyond, Margery and Jack found
their paradise in Sanibel Island, Fla., and the West Wind Inn,
meeting and making new close friends. This annual sojourn was made in
the loaded-down station wagon. They would visit friends while on the
road, primarily Kay and Morris Jones in Lexington and
Charlottesville, Va., while Jud attended the University of Virginia
and Peter was in Raleigh, N.C. This adventure continued until Jack’s
passing in March 1993.
Peter’s
wife and partner, Cathi Cody-Hudson, became the daughter Margery
never had. They got along famously and confided in each other,
always. Cathi and Peter gave her two wonderful grandsons, Christopher
and Colin, whom she adored. Margery (“Gram”) would resume her
previous role as loving caregiver to the boys as needed, along with
Pop-Pop. Chris and Colzy greatly enjoyed her company.
Margery
stayed in her Montpelier home as long as she was able before she
relocated to Barre Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation and remained
under its wonderful care. Her nurses, staff and attendants were
superb and always greatly appreciated.
She
was predeceased by her husband, John “Jack” Sr.; her parents, Ray
Sr. and Wilhelmena; her brother and sister-in-law, Ray Jr. and
Millicent; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ashley and Joss
Hudson; several uncles on the Dreyer and Salm sides; and nephews Skip
and Dana Hudson.
Margery
is survived by her sons, Jud and Peter; daughter-in-law, Cathi;
grandsons, Chris (Allison) and Colin; nephews Bruce Hudson (Ayla),
Ray Salm III, Jeffrey Salm (Cathy) and John Salm (Kim); nieces, Lynn
Smith (Dion), Leslie Williams (Hinton) and Allison Wollman (Henry);
and cousin John Salm.
Margery
will be greatly missed, yet she has been reunited with Jack. No
funeral or services will be held, but an intimate, private graveside
celebration may be held in the future. In lieu of flowers, please
donate to the organization or cause of your choice.
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2024.