Dirk Hudson Obituary

January 19, 1937 - December 29, 2023 Beloved first son of William L. Hudson and Virginia Hudson of Tiburon, California, Dirk Hudson was born in Berkeley, California on January 19, 1937. He died peacefully in his wife's arms at his home in Arcadia on December 29, 2023 just a few weeks shy of his 87th birthday and 55th wedding anniversary. Dirk's is survived by his loving wife, Sharon Jean Kuker Hudson, daughters Maura Hudson (Speirs) and Deirdre Hudson, son-in-law Gerry Speirs, Deirdre's fiancée Hooman Hedayati, grandchildren Miranda and Quinn Speirs, and brother John Francis Hudson, Esq. He is preceded in death by his beloved son Holman "Ace" Hudson who served during the U.S. Army Operation Iraqi Freedom, and brother William "Bill" Hudson, PhD.

Dirk was a lifelong scholar who graduated from Ambassador College in Pasadena, where he honed his writing skills. He proceeded to San Francisco State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations before moving on to obtain his Juris Doctor from Boalt Hall Law School at University of California, Berkeley in 1967. Upon passing the bar, he was soon hired in 1968 by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, spending his entire career serving the people of Los Angeles County. He was an extraordinary prosecutor who excelled while prosecuting several high-profile cases with a record of promotion culminating in his ascension to the D.A. office's lauded Appellate division. Dirk retired in 2001 after 32 years in the L.A. County DA's office, of which 28 years were spent as an appellate attorney with an unbroken record of having written the most briefs in the department. During his time in the division, Dirk was consistently cited for his top-notch oral skills and also for his ability to produce high-quality scholarly briefs within a short period of time. For example, Dirk was instrumental in helping pass SB1112, a post plea drug diversion bill sponsored by the Department in 1989. In a letter addressed to the Chief Deputy remarking on Dirk's legislative work, Special Counsel John Lovell stated, "(on) about five hours' notice, Dirk Hudson was asked to prepare a memorandum making argument for the constitutionality of post plea diversion. His memorandum was so well thought out that even the opponents of the bill have now backed away from their earlier assertions." Dirk's writing prowess was so appreciated by the department that former District Attorney John K. Van de Kamp wrote "(y)our work product is of the highest quality, it is consistently flawless, it is viewed with the highest respect, and the information in your special project assignments is frequently used in connection with many of the day-to-day management and policy decisions made by this office." He was well-loved in the department and celebrated his retirement amongst a large number of his friends and colleagues. As reported by the Office of the District Attorney, the constant battles in the courtroom never changed Dirk's upbeat spirit and demeanor.

In his spare time, Dirk was a member of the Commonwealth Club of California (of which his father William served as Executive Secretary in the 1960s), the Arcadia Rotary, the Federalist Society and Phi Alpha Delta international law fraternity. Impressively, Dirk kept an active bar membership until just last year and recently celebrated his 50-year Boalt Hall (Berkeley School of Law) reunion. He remained active in the practice of law and during his retirement successfully donated his services pro bono to local diner, Rod's Grill. He defended them against an eminent domain claim from a neighboring car dealership, earning him both the owners' gratitude along with that of the neighborhood.

When not serving L.A. County and writing brilliant appellate briefs, Dirk spent his time with his family playing badminton and swimming and visiting the library. He enjoyed British humor, spinning exceptional puns, fine dining (particularly Chinese food), books and used book sales, international travel and cruising with his wife. He focused his energy on actively contributing to charitable efforts, particularly on behalf of JDRF with special attention to participation in their annual charitable walk and gala. He also was an avid participant in Rotary charities and on the board for the Arcadia and Pasadena Republican Clubs.

A genealogy enthusiast, one of Dirk's favorite pastimes was researching his family history thoroughly via advanced libraries and channels. Through his studies he discovered that his great, great, grandfather was John Von Ludwig, brother of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. He additionally uncovered that through John Joy, soldier of the American revolution, his heirs were eligible for participation in the Daughters and Children of the American Revolution organizations (DAR/CAR). Dirk also discovered an ancestral connection to famous Explorer Henry Hudson through a relative of Rudy Hudson, from which he likely inherited his lifelong wanderlust and global search for knowledge.

Dirk was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, colleague and friend who was laid to rest at San Gabriel Cemetery alongside his son, Holman "Ace" Hudson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Dirk's memory to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) or by donating under Dirk L. Hudson's name to Tunnels to Towers at www.T2T.org

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