Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I read the article in the Dec. 13 issue of the Gazette-Journal detailing the long career of Mr. Blanock, who will be retiring at this year’s end.

Mr. Blanock has been an establishment in Mathews Court House for many years. Congratulations to Mr. Blanock, may his retirement be fulfilling.

However, one sentence in the article jumped out at me. It stated that Mr. Blanock had a secretary. That secretary for over 30 years was my dear mother, Roberta Hudgins. She was also a fixture in the Court House area. As she helped Mr. Blanock run his office, she made many friends and served competently while Mr. Blanock was the Commonwealth’s attorney and when he entered private practice. Still working at the age of 66, she was diagnosed with cancer. No longer able to work, she retired in 1998.

In this fast-paced society, people are soon forgotten. I just wanted to publicly remember Mama, who did so much for me and many others.

Deanna Hudgins Waddell

M...