Shirley Vreeland Hudgins, age 81, of Mathews, Va., passed away after a lengthy illness on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012.

She was born on March 21, 1931 near Onemo Post Office.

Her career included being an executive secretary in Research and Development at the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, retiring in 1964. She completed an Associate Degree in Art in 1961. She maintained an art studio on Main Street teaching children and youth for 22 years and participated in art shows from Northern Virginia to Virginia Beach.

She loved piano and could play anything and everything by ear, just by hearing it once! She had a deep love of cats and dogs. She served as secretary for the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society for many years and helped start Animal Care Society’s Potpourri Shoppe in Mathews where she also served as secretary. For over 10 years, she served as the activity director with the Senior Center at Hudgins, Va.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia and William Vreeland; her husbands, Howard Brigman, Alvin T. Lewis and Howard Hudgins; her daughter, Beverley Marshall Hughes, and granddaughter, Sarah Beth Hudgins.

Surviving children are Bonnie B. Hudgins and Alvin T. “Tommy” Lewis Jr.; four grandchildren, Michael (Katrina) Marshall and Scott Marshall, Julie and SSG John (Andrea) Hudgins, U.S. Army; seven great-grandchildren; brother, William J. Vreeland (Dorothy) of Luray, Va., and sister, Marilyn Hockett of Adner, Va.

A “Celebration of Life” luncheon will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Fellowship Hall of Bethel United Methodist Church, Onemo.

Memorials may be made to the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, P.O. Box 385, Gloucester, Va. 23061 or to Animal Care Society, P.O. Box 121, Mathews, Va. 23109.

Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home, Mathews, is in charge of arrangements.