Nicholas Mark Hudson

Nicholas (Mark) Hudson was called home to the Lord peacefully surrounded by his
family and friends on August 16th, 2022 after fighting a long, hard battle with kidney failure.
Mark was born to Nicholas Scholar Hudson and Beulah Elvira (Novinger) Hudson on October 21,
1951 in Collbran, Colorado. He was born tiny, in a hospital without an incubator, so he was
placed in a shoe box on an open oven door. As such, he always joked he was “half-baked”. He
spent his early days in Debeque where he rode his horse Tuffy to school and may have been
known to escape on occasion because “he belonged on the mountain with his father”. He later
moved to Grand Junction with his father. It’s here that Nicholas (Scholar) met and married
Mary Ella Tipping. She raised him as her own along with her 2 sons. Mark enjoyed running
cattle on the 4A mountain, riding horses, and hunting with his family.
After graduating from Grand Junction High School in 1969, Mark started college at Mesa
State but his education was put on hold as he joined the Army to proudly serve as an explosives
expert during the Vietnam war, including an assignment for the 1972 presidential campaign. While he was home on leave, he met his beautiful wife Linda (Benson) Hudson while
cruising the strip on North Avenue. They were married on August 31, 1974, and enjoyed nearly 48
years of marriage before his passing. Their first child was born in 1976 and the other 2 followed
every 2 years and 3 months (although not intentional).
He continued his college education upon returning to Grand Junction and graduated in
1977. He also worked for City Market as a Maintenance Supervisor at the warehouse hub for
over 20 years. 1987 Mark and Linda bought a farm in Loma where they would spend the rest of
their married life raising quarter horses and growing hay and alfalfa. On April 1, 1991, he
became the proud owner and operator of Artesian Water Service and Bruner’s Water Service,
which would become the family business until his retirement in 2016. “Water Mark” worked
tirelessly to haul potable water to drilling rigs and residential customers, ensuring nobody ever
went without clean water. Every Christmas he could be seen delivering water as Santa to the
joy of the children on his routes.
Mark was known in his community as a gruff cowboy with a great sense of humor, an
impeccable set of morals, and a huge heart. There are many stories of him helping those less
fortunate and teaching his family to do the same.
In his later years, his pride and joy became his grandchildren; teaching them to fish, build
or repair just about anything, and work on the farm. They were his shadows and the light of his
life. He is survived by his wife Linda, his children Justin (Carinne) Hudson, Kjersti Hudson and
Josh (Billie Jo) Hudson, 3 grandchildren Elliana, Benjamin, and Maddox, 5 bonus grandchildren
Amia Ortiz, Kale & Sabrina Litzelman, Kyle and Kylea Hadden, 1 great-grandchild Lillianna Ortiz,
his siblings Sue Currey and Ronald (Marie) Tipping. He is preceded in death by his parents and
brother Clayton (Linda) Tipping. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of
flowers, please consider making a donation to The Gary Sinise Foundation, The National Kidney
Foundation or HopeWest.

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