Roll Call Tribute

William Ronald Hudson 

May 17, 1933 - August 12, 2024 

Ronald Hudson died peacefully on August 12, 2024, in his home, surrounded by his family. He made the most of his 91 years on this earth with lots of hard work, but he played just as hard! During the last couple of decades, he spent almost every weekend enjoying his favorite places, including Henly Hill Ranch, LLK Ranch (Lampasas), Rockport and Lake LBJ. Even after surviving three strokes, he wanted to enjoy life riding on a boat, wave runner, golf cart, ATV, or whatever would get him out with his friends and family experiencing the beauty of nature.

Born on May 17, 1933, in Buckholts, Texas, near Temple, Ronald was the son of C.W. (Bill) and Nan (Skinner) Hudson. He grew up in Cameron, Texas, where he graduated from Yoe High School in 1950. Ronald earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M University in 1954 and 1955, respectively. Ronald served two years active duty in the U.S. Air Force, followed by ten years in the Air Force Reserve, retiring at the rank of Major.

While living in Cameron he met the love of his life, Martha Ann Collins. They were friends who dated on and off for seven years. But after he accepted a job in Ottawa, Illinois, they had a whirlwind seven-day engagement, were married on July 29, 1958, then headed north the very next day. He said that marrying Martha was “the BEST THING that ever happened to me!”

Ronald was very proud of the pioneering work that he and his colleagues did in Illinois for the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) Road Test, the largest controlled civil engineering research project ever undertaken. They moved to Austin in 1961 when Ronald began working for the Texas Highway Department and started work on his Ph.D. at The University of Texas. Austin has been their home ever since and is where they raised their three boys: Stuart, Alan, and Paul.

After receiving his Ph.D. in 1965, Ronald joined the UT faculty, ultimately serving as the D.C. Greer Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Associate Dean of the College of Engineering. He taught undergraduate and graduate level classes at UT for over 35 years, including sponsoring over 70 graduate students, many of whom he remained close to until the end. Ronald was proud of the fact that 21 of his graduates were teaching at major universities around the world.

In 1975, Ronald moved his family to Brasilia, Brazil, to lead a large road research program for the Brazilian government, World Bank, and United Nations. He once wrote, “there are many types of missionaries, but certainly providing better transportation in developing countries is one good way to help improve people’s lives.” In 1988 he and Martha moved to Washington D.C. for one year to initiate a monumental project for the National Academies, the Strategic Highway Research Program, which continued for 20 years.

Ronald’s research has influenced pavement management practices around the world for decades. He authored three books on the subject, which were translated into four languages dealing with pavement and asset management systems. All 50 U.S. state departments of transportation, more than 400 cities, and many governments worldwide continue to use his methods. He has lectured, taught short-courses, or given keynote addresses in over 20 countries and authored or co-authored over 500 published papers.

In addition to his work at UT, Ronald started several successful engineering consulting firms, including Austin Research Engineers (ARE), Austin Testing Engineers, and Texas Research and Development Foundation.

Ronald was honored as a Distinguished Graduate of Cameron Yoe High School, the departments of civil engineering at both UT and Texas A&M, as well as of the entire UT-Austin College of Engineering. He and Martha later established endowed scholarships in civil engineering at both universities.

The long list of Ronald’s accomplishments extended well beyond civil engineering. Consider yourself lucky if you got to have some of his homemade peach ice cream or pear pies. He was also quick to share the bounty of his hunting and fishing trips with friends and neighbors. “Generous” is a word often used to describe him.

Honors and leadership among national and international professional societies further mark Ronald’s life, as do 15 years of coaching youth sports in Austin. In the late 1960s he was a co-founder of the Austin Western Hills Youth Association, which is still in existence today. He was also an Indian Guides troop leader.

Whether sitting in a deer blind in the Texas Hill Country, on an annual fishing trip to Alaska with children and grandchildren, watching his grandchildren's events or celebrating their academic and early career successes, or visiting almost every continent on Earth with Martha, Ronald maintained a sharp interest in the world. As each grandchild turned 13, Ronald and Martha would take him or her on a trip of the child's choice - ranging from Africa, to Europe, to the Galápagos Islands. Ronald was the driving force behind decades of annual family reunions with the Skinner, Hudson, and Collins families. He gathered frequently with his friends the “Gerries” (short for geriatric). An active layman in The Episcopal Church, Ronald served in the Stephen Ministry program and was a frequent visitor to the Laity Lodge retreat center.

Preceded in death by his parents, Ronald is survived by his wife, Martha; brother David (Prudence); and sons Stuart, Alan (LaShawn), and Paul (Joan). He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Rachel (Daniel Bellini), Hunter (fiancé Travis Rogers), James, Kyle, Cara, Morgan (Jared Cole), Lauren, Collin, Cameron, and Janie.

The family thanks the many caregivers and friends who assisted them during these last few months of Ronald’s long and distinguished life. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, August 31, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Austin. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of your favorite charities.

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."

- Henry Adams.