Emily Marie (Budzinski) Hudak

Emily Marie Hudak, age 77, of Cheboygan entered eternal life on Monday, February 26, 2018.  Emily passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

Emily was born on December 11, 1940, in Cheboygan to Albert and Mary (Zawacki) Budzinski.  She was raised on the farm in Riggsville, attended the one room Birchwood School and graduated from Cheboygan Catholic High class of 1958.

When Emily was 16 she met her future husband Clarence Edward “Eddie” Hudak, Jr.  Emily and Eddie were married on December 31, 1960, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Riggsville.  They built their home and raised their family just down the road from where she grew up on a piece of land given to them by her dad.  Eddie was tragically killed in 1982 by a drunk driver while working for the State of Michigan DOT.  Emily was left a widowed mother with six teenage children to care for.  As she always did in life, Emily persevered.  She remained strong in her faith, surrounded her children with love and raised them to become responsible, hard working adults.  She was extremely proud of all her children.

Emily’s greatest joys in life were her children and grandchildren.  She was devoted to her family and epitomized the meaning of mom and grandma.  She especially treasured time spent with her grandchildren and enjoyed following their activities.  She was “mom” to many of her children’s friends over the years, and her home was always open including a warm meal for those who happened by.  Emily loved to cook and bake.  She was an awesome cook and cherished the holidays when her children and grandchildren would all gather around her to share in God’s blessings and a family meal.

As a teenager and young adult, Emily worked at F. W. Woolworth in Cheboygan, and as a new wife and mother, she worked at Fox Valley.  She became a full-time stay at home mom after her sixth child was born, and later in life, after her children were grown, she worked at Spare Time Lanes in the day care where she cared for up to 20 children at a time under the age of four.  She then went on to work for the Day’s Inn Restaurant and Admiral’s Table Restaurant in Mackinaw City, the Carnation Restaurant in Cheboygan and the Senior Center on Sand Road where everyone raved about her salads.  Emily enjoyed playing bingo and penny slots.  She was an avid Cheboygan Chiefs fan and Detroit Tigers baseball and Detroit Lions football fan.  She loved feeding and watching the birds.  She adored her two kitties Sammie and Sophie, whom she spoiled rotten.  She will be remembered for always having the most beautiful summer flowers, which for years she planted using the fish waste from Eddie’s fishing pursuits.

Emily is survived by her six children and their families, Clarence Hudak, III, Chris (Tammy Bedell) Hudak and children Colton and Autumn, Shari (Jim) Veller, Theresa (Mark) Inglis and children Courtney and Carin (Kalik) Jones and great grandchild Camryn, Dale (Lezley) Hudak and children Hannah and Jordan (Brenda) Velandia and great grandchild Riley, and Lori (Steve Pilon) Hudak and Ella Pilon.

Emily is also survived by her brother Harry (Sandy) Budzinski, sister Dorothy Hudak, half-brothers Greg (Erika) Borowicz and Carl (Janice) Borowicz, brother-in-law Joe (Ruth) Hudak and sister-in-law Anna Marie (Dave) McCormick, along with many, many nieces and nephews, her lifelong friend Janice Morrow and her two best friends Sammie and Sophie.

In addition to her husband, Emily was preceded in death by her parents, her father and mother-in-law Clarence, Sr. and Margaret Hudak, sisters Virginia Budzinski and Gloria (Leonard) Pratt, half-sister Margaret Borowicz, sisters-in-law Theresa (Carl) Brasseur and Patricia (Bill) St. Amour, and brother-in-law Russell Hudak.

Emily was a lifetime member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Riggsville.  She was baptized, received first communion, confirmed, married and will now be laid to rest in the church her grandparents Jan and Praxeda (Skiera) Budzinski helped to found.  A funeral mass celebrating Emily's life will be held at Sacred Heart on Monday, March 5 at 11:00 am with the family greeting friends one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.  A luncheon will follow in the church basement, and all are welcome!  Emily loved sharing a meal, and she would be pleased for everyone to share a meal in her memory.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Sacred Heart Church or Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, Harbor Springs, Michigan from where Emily adopted Sammie and Sophie.

Arrangements are being handled by the Nordman-Christian Funeral Home.

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