Shelly Clayton Hudnall, Jr., age 97, passed peacefully on Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Texas.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 21, 2025, and family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Autry Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

Graveside Celebration Service is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Clyde Cemetery in Clyde, Texas. Services will be officiated by John Freeman, nephew. Honorary pallbearers include Bill Freeman, Stan Bell, David Capps, Clayton Hudnall and Jimmy Paltjon.

Shelly was born on May 18, 1928, in Longview, Texas, to parents Shelly Clayton Sr. and Lilly Mae (Sanders) Hudnall.  He graduated from Texas Tech Technological College, Lubbock, Texas with a Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1950. He worked with Lane Wells, Co. in Longview and Odessa from 1950 to 1956 and with Ram Guns, Inc. in Odessa from 1956 to 1980, working with wireline services, electronics and radioactive materials in the West Texas oilfields. In 1980 he took a position with Whitlock Instruments and finally retired in 2003 and moved to Jacksonville to be closer to family.

Shelly was a wonderful and loving husband and father.  He married Mary Loy Freeman on August 14, 1950, and they raised four children at their home, 2809 N. Washington, Odessa, Texas.  Shelly was a faithful and active member of their church, Bethany Christian Church, Odessa, Texas. In his later years, he spent several hours a day, studying his bible.  His interest included family activities, gardening, ham radios and playing the French horn in the Odessa Midland Symphony.

Shelly was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Hudnall; daughters, Shelia Lynn Millikan and Carol Ann Maxwell and sister, Carolyn Thompkins.

Left to cherish his memory are his sons, David Hudnall and wife, Donna, of Jacksonville and Donald Clayton Hudnall and wife, Angie, of McKinney; brother, John Franklin, of Tyler; seven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews who loved him.

The family welcomes all who would like to attend and celebrate Shelly's life.  Because Shelly loved being a member of Central Baptist Church, Jacksonville, he requested that in lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Central Baptist Church, General Fund, 1909 E. Rusk, Jacksonville, Texas 75766.