Obituary of Clyde Donald Hudnall

Clyde D. Hudnall, 101, of Peabody, died Wednesday evening at his home, surrounded by his loving family.

Clyde was the devoted husband of the late Mary (Leahy) Hudnall and the loving father of Donald and Denise. He is survived by his daughter Denise (Joel), and his four grandchildren, Jared (Paige), Mark (Alice), Rachel (Michael), and Michael (Tara), five great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his siblings, Horrold and Arnold Hudnall, Helen Shively, and Cora Lee Sooter.

Born in Buckner, Missouri, Clyde was the son of the late William and Jessie (Van Meter) Hudnall. He spent his childhood on the family farm in western Missouri. As a young man, he joined his brother Arnold in California, where he learned to fly and worked as a flight instructor. When World War II began, he joined the United States Navy and served as a transport pilot in the Pacific Theater. He was honorably discharged in 1947 with the rank of Lt. Commander and subsequently served in the US Naval Reserve, retiring in 1978 on his 60th birthday with the rank of Commander. Clyde was employed as a flight inspector for the FAA for over 30 years. He began his career in New York and later worked in Boston and Bedford. At the time of his passing, Clyde had lived in Peabody for 62 years.

Clyde was a member of the Peabody Historical Society, where he served as military curator, the Peabody computer club, and the local branch of the AARP. He was also a Skipper of the US Navy UR 912 retiree group.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM followed by a Funeral Service at 12:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St, Peabody. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.  Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Lake St, Peabody.  Expressions of sympathy can be made in his name to the Honor Flight New England or the American Cancer Society.