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Shriners Hospitals for Children Receives $60 Million Donation Largest Donation in Organization's History

Hospital will be named in his honor Oct. 22.


His life’s desire was to leave his full estate to the organization he loved and worked to support throughout his lifetime: Shriners Hospitals for Children. On Oct. 22, the hospitals’ officials will gather in St. Louis with A.B. Hudson’s family and friends to honor him for a gift of more than $60 million, the largest in the organization’s nearly 90-year history.

Known widely throughout Kansas as a rancher, businessman, entrepreneur, inventor and benefactor, A.B. Hudson passed away in 2008 at the age of 84 at his home in Wichita Falls.

A lifetime member of the Shriners International fraternity, he was a member of his chapter’s Mounted Patrol and traveled the country – from California to the White House – with his beloved horse, Hobo.

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In honor of his gift, Shriners Hospitals for Children will name its St. Louis hospital for him.

“It humbles us to know that someone of Mr. Hudson’s accomplishments had the lifetime desire to leave his estate to Shriners Hospitals for Children,” said Douglas E. Maxwell, president and CEO of the international pediatric hospital system. “This is the largest single gift any one donor has given to our hospitals, and it’s perfectly fitting that we name our St. Louis hospital in his memory.”

Hudson’s daughter, Michele Rothe, members of her family, and numerous friends, employees and colleagues of Mr. Hudson’s will gather in St. Louis for the special ceremony in his honor Saturday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m.

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“Dad was very proud to be a Shriner and the accomplishments they made assisting children requiring medical care,” said Rothe. “I am proud that my dad’s life desire was to leave this gift to Shriners Hospitals for Children and I know that his friends and I are also very proud to be part of his legacy and the ability to contribute to pediatric care.”

Hospital officials say that this is the most significant donation in the organization’s history, and allows them to perpetuate the mission of caring for children regardless of their ability to pay.

“We are thrilled that Mr. Hudson’s family and friends will be here in St. Louis, so that we may show our gratitude for his support,” said Mark Ringenberg, chairman of the hospital’s Board of Governors. “It’s people like Mr. Hudson who continue to inspire us as staff members at the hospital, reminding us of the important mission we have the privilege of carrying out because of their generous support.”

Mr. Hudson began working with his brothers after school at age 7. As a partner in Hudson Oil Company, which was later sold to Koch Oil, he began working full time at age 16. In 1958, he founded his own companies, Workingman’s Friend and Highway Oil, which grew to more than 700 employees.

At one time, A.B. Hudson was one of the largest landowners in the state of Kansas. He was one of the largest independent cattlemen in Kansas and Texas for many years, and was known as a great steward of the land. In addition, he anonymously supported numerous projects in addition to Shriners Hospitals for Children, such as rebuilding churches, supporting museums, and creating a foundation to build new homes for tornado victims in Greensburg, KS.

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