Dee Jones Hudson - LHS Class of 1955

By becoming the first female city council member and the first female mayor, Dee Hudson was one of the first to show Warrensburg, Missouri that females could be successful civic leaders.
Delores "Dee" Jones Hudson (LHS Class of 1955) was born in Nevada, Missouri, but calls Leavenworth, Kansas her hometown.
“My family traveled a lot until I was four, but then we settled in Leavenworth. I graduated from Leavenworth High,” Hudson said.
Although a self-described “tomboy,” Hudson was a member of the student council and a cheerleader at Leavenworth High School. She was also one of nine children.
“When you grow up with seven brothers and one sister, you are involved in things that your brothers are involved in,” Hudson said.
After graduating, Hudson went to Kansas State Teachers College, now Emporia State University. She got her bachelor's degree in education and master’s degree in guidance and counseling. She taught in Kansas before moving to Arkansas with her husband, Jim. She continued to teach in Arkansas and brought her love of teaching to Missouri in 1964.
While her husband was a professor, Hudson began working at Central Missouri State University in 1976 as the director of a grant program. She then made the transition to teaching in the department of psychology. She worked as the director of admissions until she retired.
“I loved being the director of admissions," Hudson said. "I got to work with students, telling them not only what the university could do for them, but what they could do for the university.”
Hudson tries to keep herself involved in any community organization she can.
“I want to do anything I can to make this community better,” Hudson said.
Hudson was a member of the Warrensburg City Council for 12 years, including six years as mayor. Her volunteer work includes being president of the Missouri Municipal League, serving on the board of directors of the National League of Cities and the CMSU Board of Governors, and also being a past president and current member of the board of directors of the Johnson County Development Corp. She was one of the originators of the Head Start program in Warrensburg.
“We started Head Start as a volunteer program and it has been federally funded for some time,” Hudson said.
She said that she strongly believes that Warrensburg is a growing city, as the city is providing opportunities for a top-notch education and a growing job market as the city increases in businesses.
“A woman who balances life as a homemaker and professional learns to balance a lot,” Hudson said with a laugh.
Not only did Hudson stay involved with the community, but she balanced life as a mother and wife. Hudson has two sons: Greg, who lives in New York, and Jeff, who lives in Warrensburg. But Hudson is not all work and no play; she enjoys her fair share of hobbies. She enjoys golfing, reading, and playing bridge with her family and friends, all while continuing to keep an eye on the economic growth of Warrensburg.

By Ashley King
Photo by Dustin Freund
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