(Host) A veteran Northeast Kingdom lawmaker has passed away.
State Representative Cola Hudson, who fell ill Friday in Montpelier, has died.
Hudson, of Lyndon, was a member of the House since 1973. He died yesterday at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Hudson, a former farmer and a lifelong Republican, represented the towns of Burke, Lyndon and Sutton since 1973, when he was first elected to the state House of Representatives.
Born in 1926, Hudson grew up on a farm and graduated from a one-room schoolhouse in Lyndon before going on to Lyndon Institute and Lyndon State College.
Hudson became ill Friday morning and was taken to Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, in St. Johnsbury. He was then transferred to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where he died.
Governor Jim Douglas worked with Hudson over the course of 30 years. In a statement, Douglas said Hudson was model legislator who reminded us everyday of the importance of civility and respect in our public discourse.
Senator Vince Illuzi also worked with Hudson. Illuzi says that Hudson worked hard on behalf on his constituents.
(Illuzi) "His goal always was to insure that the Northeast Kingdom continued to be represented by two senators from the Caledonia senate district and two senators from the Essex-Orleans district. So he was fiercely loyal to the Northeast Kingdom, and I think that’s why even though the politics have changed I think people always respected the fact that he fought for the Northeast Kingdom, and that he was true to his values, and that he never misled anyone as to where he was coming from or where he was going".
(Host) Cola Hudson was 81. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.