CUMBERLAND – Wheaton “Gren” Hudson of Cumberland Center passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Gren was born in West Hartford, Conn. on June 1, 1930, to Wheaton and Jessie Hudson. In 1940, the family moved to Freeport where they opened the Hudson Bay Guest House, one of the precursors to the many B&B’s now in Freeport. (At that time, the per-person fee was $1 per night!)

Gren attended Freeport schools and graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon in Northfield, Mass. After attending Brown University, he joined the U.S. Navy and served for four years. He then enrolled at the University of Maine Orono (UMO), where he studied to be a teacher, graduating with honors (Phi Kappa Phi) in 1958.

In 1957, Gren married Elinor Small whom he had met after seeing her photo at her grandparents’ home in Freeport. After graduating from UMO, Gren taught science at Newport High School for two years. The growing Hudson family then moved to Cousin’s Island in Yarmouth where Gren became the 8th grade science teacher in the new Yarmouth Jr./Sr. High School. He was known for his unique style of teaching, and former students still talk about his “Bulletin Board Questions,” which stimulated individual learning.

Following his retirement from teaching, Gren mastered the difficult craft of handsewing at L.L. Bean, where he worked for 12 years.

Gren was a gifted athlete. In his youth, he particularly loved baseball and ice hockey. He was named MVP in the Casco Bay Baseball League in 1951 and he played ice hockey at Northfield Mount Hermon and at Brown where he was the starting center on the varsity team. Gren stayed in shape by skating regularly until he was 80.

A very competitive golfer, Gren played in MSGA events for 40 years and won multiple club championships at Freeport CC. In 1986 he joined the Val Halla Golf Course where he played daily, rain or shine, with his family and his golfing buddy Norm Smith until mid 2019. Skiing was another activity that Gren shared with his family. As their grandchildren were growing up, Gren and Elinor established a family tradition of winter ski vacations and summer fun and golf at The Balsams in New Hampshire, which they saw as their home away from home. During the summer, when not tending his yard and Iris beds, Gren enjoyed family picnics and hotly contested croquet competitions at the Small family cottage on Wolfe’s Neck Point.

Gren’s interest in family history led him to do extensive genealogical research. Last year his grandchildren added to the collection by publishing a book of memories (tributes and photos) for him and Elinor entitled “Poppy, Grammie and Us.”

Gren is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elinor Small Hudson; by his children, Thomas Hudson II (Betsy) of Columbia, Md. and Portland, Stephen Hudson (Cynthia) of Falmouth, Meredith Koerner (Mark) of Cumberland, and David Hudson (Deb) of Portland; by his granddaughters, Sally Dill, Annie Hudson, Jacquelyn Michaud, Abby Hudson, Megan Hudson, Emily Koerner and Becky Koerner; and two great-grandsons. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. James Hudson.

He was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Captain Thomas Hudson, U.S. Army, and his sister, Lois Aplington.

At Gren’s request, there will be no service. A private family memorial gathering will be held in the summer.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign Gren’s online guest book.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the

Freeport Historical Society

45 Main St.

Freeport, ME 04032, or the

Val Halla Golf Association Scholarship Fund

P.O. Box 506

Cumberland, ME 04021

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