Garey E. Hudson, age 72 of Boca Raton, FL and Elmira, NY passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 29, 2019.

Born on January 15, 1947 in Elmira, NY, he was the son of the late William and Gladys Hudson. Garey graduated from Southside High School, class of 1964 and later received his Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering from Syracuse University. In college he served in the ROTC and later served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1972. He married Deborah Miller on December 4, 1971. Garey worked as a pilot for over 50 years, most recently being employed by Delta Private Jets.

Garey will be remembered for his devotion to Debbie and his love of flying.

Growing up at Hudson Acres, a small grass airfield in Pine City, he built his first aircraft at the age of 16. Since then, he accumulated over Thirty Thousand flight hours in military aircraft, commercial airlines, private jets and gliders.

He started USAF Pilot training in 1968 and flew the C141 on active duty around the world in transport missions. Later, during his 20 years in the Air Force Reserves, he flew the C-5 based out of Dover, DE. Throughout his military career, he was always top-of-his-class.

In 1975 he started his Civil Aviation career with Eastern Airlines where he flew the Boeing 727 and later as Captain on the Boeing 757. In 1991 he joined Tower Air where he was Chief of Aircrew training for the Boeing 747 till 2000 when he moved to CitationAir. During his 13 years at CitationAir, he was Chief of training during the expansion phase of this charter service from 3 to 80 airplanes. In 2014, he started as Lead Captain with Delta Private Jets, and they moved to Florida where he and Debbie spend the last 4 ½ happy years.

Throughout his years of flying big aircraft, he never lost his love for gliders. He joint Harris Hill Soaring Corp. as a young man, where he flew as a tow pilot and active glider pilot. He built his first glider, a Schweizer 1-26, while he was still in the USAF then later flew the Schreder HP -11.  In over 40 years of soaring, he successfully flew his ASW-19, ASW-20 and ASW-27 in many soaring competitions.

Harris Hill is also where he met Debbie and where they, years later, built their home.

 

Garey is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Deborah Hudson of Boca Raton, FL and Elmira, NY; sister, Gayle (Douglas) Millis of Moravia, NY; mother-in-law, Ann Miller of Horseheads, NY; sisters-in-law: Cheryl Miller of Corning, NY, JoAnn Knapp of Pittsburgh, PA, Joyce (Kent) Brown of Naples, FL, Barbara (Bryan) Vertoske of Horseheads, NY; and brother-in-law, John Miller of West Henrietta, NY.