DANIEL ‘HUD’ HUDDLESTON, JR.

Sep. 15, 1955 – June 1, 2016

Daniel “Hud” Huddleston, Jr. departed this world on June 1, 2016.

He was born on Sept. 15, 1955, and married his high school sweetheart on Aug. 2, 1975.

When I first met Hud (as he was called by his family and friends), I wasn’t sure how to take him. He usually dressed in jeans, boots, a shirt and a leather vest. He wore his hair long and had a beard and handlebar mustache. A big, burly guy. I thought of him as standoffish.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Hud enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, camping and motorcycle riding. He was a die-hard Cubs fan. He told everyone he knew that the Cubs were going to do it this year. I wish he could have been here to see that they did.

Hud graduated from Lanphier High School and worked as a cement finisher for Local 18. He was the owner/operator of the “Hangout Unwind Dance Saloon” aka HUDS.

He founded the Brass Monkey Poker Run in 2000, with all proceeds going to the VFW Post 10302.

He was instrumental in starting The Hippy Run/Benefit in 2006 with all proceeds going to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Vigil. Although he never served in the armed forces, he had a kinship with all veterans. He walked every year at the vigil, and after leaving the hospital for the last time in May, he requested to be driven around the Memorial.

Comments left on his Legacy page sum up how everyone felt about him. Here are some of them:

“The love and dedication that was shared between Hud and Kim was by far the most incredible kind of love that I have ever witnessed. He will be missed dearly but his smile will be forever etched in our memories.”

“Just attended the most touching tribute to my cousin Daniel Huddleston. It was probably one of the most beautiful funeral processions I have ever seen. There must have been 300-400 bikers riding in the procession for his last ride. He was obviously loved by many people. I am sure he was looking down from heaven and smiling.”

“We rode his last ride, as did many friends and family. Kim (his wife, high school sweetheart and soulmate) was overwhelmed by the amount of people who attended. It was very clear Hud is loved and respected by many and will never be forgotten.”

I’m not sure how many bikes we had, but I know that it was more than three blocks long, handlebar to handlebar, snout to tail, double wide. That’s a pretty impressive showing for such a good man.

Indeed, he was a good man, husband, father, grandfather and friend.

–Kathy Bierbaum, close friend