News, Citizens Profile of Margie Hudson Kees, LaSalle Parish, La. Submitted by Evelyn Windham ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Jena Times, Citizen Profile October 13, 1999 Margie Roberts Hudson Kees Her entire life has been devoted to serving others-family, friends, and neighbors; and the impact she has had on the people of Urania is immeasurable. She has never received an award for her service, and that's alright, because she is only doing what she believes everyone should do. Margie Roberts Hudson Kees was born and raised in Richland Parish near Rayville on March 18, 1927. Her parents, Carl Roberts and Laura Cheek Roberts, had four children of which Mrs. Margie was the sole girl. Mr. Roberts was a carpenter and worked on a construction crew traveling all over doing various jobs. Mrs. Roberts stayed home and started raising the family. However, in 1941, when Mrs. Margie was only 14 years old, her mother died after complication from a sudden stomach obstruction. With four brothers, one older and two younger, and a father who had his own problems with alcohol abuse, Mrs. Margie had to step forward and become the primary caretaker for the family at the young age of 14. "I had to do everything," Mrs. Margie recalls. "Daddy was gone a lot of the time so we stayed by ourselves and tended to the everyday chores of the house." Mrs. Margie did all the cleaning, cooking, washing, etc., everything a mother does and at the same time she kept going to school. "It really doubled my work, going to school and taking care of the family," she said, "I didn't have any free time like all the other girls growing up. I couldn't play ball or go places or even court guys. I had responsibilities at home that I knew I had to do." Her father had a terrible drinking problem, which only added to the weight that she bore raising her family while just a young girl herself. But through the grace of God, she did raise her brothers and she doesn't look upon the time as depression, but rather as something in which god had planned for her life. "I don't want people to feel sorry for me," she said. "God's will is always perfect and although we may not understand it at the time, I've been through enough to know that He always knows what's best." In the summer of 1943, Mrs. Margie traveled to Urania for the first time to visit her Uncle Harvey and Aunt Alma Lord. Uncle Harvey was the janitor at the Urania School for many years and was well known in the town. While visiting with them one day, a young man fresh from the service, stopped by to visit. It was her future husband, Carl Hudson. They went on their first "date" later that day, as the two of them went with the Lords to help clean the Urania Baptist Church (of which they were the janitors). Later that week, Mr. Carl and Mrs. Margie went to see a movie at Olla. The movie house was where the Douglas furniture Store is now. The name of the movie was, "Stage Door Canteen." After the week in Urania, Mrs. Margie returned to Richland Parish wondering if she'd ever see this young man again. In December of that same year, Mrs. Margie's father, took a job at a defense plant in Port Arthur, Texas, and so the family moved there. Unknown to her, Carl Hudson has also taken a job at the defense plant in Texas and had moved there as well. Coincidence? Not to Mrs.. Margie, who has faith enough in god to know that he had it planned the entire time. They met up again and renewed their relationship right where they left it off. By Christmas time of that same year, Carl had proposed marriage and on January 7, 1944, the two were married in Port Arthur. Shortly after they married, they moved back to Urania which is where they would stay. Mrs. Margie has liven in Urania since 1944 and in the same house since 1950. Together, the couple raised two girls, Carole Hudson Bedwell, who now lives in Denham Springs where she is an English teacher at southeastern University at Hammond and Laura Jean Hudson Thompson, who lives in Jena and works in the special education department of Jena High School. Laura is married to Eddie Thompson, the pastor of Maranatha Assembly of God. While living in Urania, one of Carl's best friends was a neighbor from across the street by the name of William Otto Kees. Mr. William was born and raised in Urania and the two of the men had known each other all their lives. In fact, when Mr. Carl and Mrs. Margie first moved back to Urania, Mr. William loaned Mr. Carl around $300 to purchase furniture for the newlyweds. "They were the very best of friends," said Mrs. Margie, "they would play dominos together for hours on end." In 1978, after Mr. Carl had suffered for a long time with an illness, he passed away. At about the same time, Mr. William's wife or many years also passed away. After a couple of years, Mrs. Margie and Mr. William began to draw closer to each other and eventually started spending more time together. In April of 1982, the two were married and she moved to Olla to his house. Mrs. Margie describes the marriage to Mr. William as a joyful time in her life, but she did not know that the joy would be short-lived. In July of 1985, just three years into their marriage, Mr. William also passed. away. "I've had some rough times in my life," Mrs. Margie said, "having to raise my family as a girl, losing Carl and having to watch him go down, and then having to do the same thing with William." "Without God, I never would have made it through all that I've been through," she said. "I've just had to turn certain things over to Him because I can't handle it but I know He can." Mrs. Margie said that the three most important things in her life are: God, family and friends. "I just hope that people remember me just for being me," she said. "I really do love people and I hope people know that I would help anybody if they need it and everyone is always welcome in my house. Mrs. Margie says that there are many differences in society from the days when she grew up, and she is thankful for all the updated things that God has provided. "I guess one thing that our generation has that younger generations don't have is the memories of how things used to be," she said. "When you come from an era of not having anything, it really makes you appreciate even more what you have today." she continued. "I'm always thankful of what God has given me, but I never take anything for granted. All I have to do is just remember how it used to be and I do quite often." Today, Mrs. Margie spends most of her time working in her yard and gardening, cooking/baking, and helping others. "Everyday is a new day and I just wake up and see what god has planned," she said. She has enjoyed living in Urania for the past 55 years and calls it the best place in the world to live. "I really have been blessed with a great neighbor and treat neighbors," she said. Mrs. Margie did leave a bit of advice for the younger people of our parish, especially young families. "First of all, one thing that is wrong with our country is the fact that we are leaving g God out of our families," she said, "as parents and adults, we need to be the best example we can be for our children and youth." "Secondly, parents need to teach their children to respect authority," Mrs. Margie continued. "Parents need to be firm with their children but discipline them with love. Then, when they go to school the teachers won't have a hard time with them, and as they go through the rest of their life it will be easier for them." "But never let anyone tell you any different," she concluded, "it all starts at home." Perhaps no other person in Urania does more for more people than Mrs. Margie Kees. Her love and devotion to others is displayed everyday in her actions. It is for these reasons that we salute this week's Citizen Profile, Margie Hudson Kees.