Charles Kent Hudson Sr.

Bismarck

Charles Kent Hudson Sr., age 89, of Bismarck and formerly of Parshall, North Dakota, passed away on March 1, 2026, in Bismarck.

Charles, known primarily by his middle name Kent, and nickname “Charlie,” was born on May 6, 1936, in Makoti, North Dakota, to Ross and Leita (Grow) Hudson. At the age of five, his family moved to Parshall, where he grew up living a classic small-town life filled with hard work and harmless shenanigans.

At 16, Kent left school to do work in preparation for the construction of the Garrison Dam, where he helped log timber in the Missouri bottomlands and relocate cemeteries to higher ground. He later served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, spending the majority of his service in Korea.

After returning to Parshall, Kent met the love of his life, Marilyn Cross, while working odd jobs and riding in local rodeos. The two married in 1959 and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to raise their children, Chuck and Sonya. In California, Kent worked as a roads crew supervisor for the City of Mountain View.

In 1972, the family returned to Parshall to pursue a small-town life. Kent fulfilled a lifelong dream of raising beef cattle and started a small excavation company. Kent later worked as a farm / ranch equipment assessor for Cornerstone Bank.

Kent was a true horseman. He loved rodeo, was an avid team roper, hunted elk on horseback in Montana, and rode the Maah Daah Hey Trail. Later in life, he became a skilled poker player, winning major tournaments across the Midwest and Canada.

Kent was known for his calm, kind nature and keen sense of observation of the world around him. He had a big sense of humor, which made him a favorite among his many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. He also possessed a welcoming spirit; during the Bakken oil boom, he enjoyed meeting newcomers to the Parshall area and gave robust support to several immigrants pursuing citizenship.

Kent was a proud member of the Arthur Solie American Legion Post 121 located in Parshall, North Dakota.

Kent was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marilyn, in 2020; his parents, Ross and Leita; his brothers, Lowell and Larry; and his granddaughter, Cassie.

He is survived by his children, Charles “Chuck” (Sarah) Hudson (Tucson, AZ) and Sonya Joy Rensch (Wickenburg, AZ); his grandchildren, Kent III, Lee, Cray, Noel, Stone, Sierra; several great-grandchildren and; brother, Rodney Hudson (Eau Claire, WI); and sister, Sally Folmar (Pahrump, NV).

A service will be held at a later date.

Should friends desire, contributions can be sent in Kent’s memory to the Marilyn Hudson Brave Conversations project at Humanities North Dakota (PO Box 2191, Bismarck, ND 58502). This project honors Kent and Marilyn’s legacy by fostering community dialogue and civic engagement across North Dakota.

Online condolences can be shared at www.langhansfuneralhome.com (Langhans Funeral Home, Parshall)

Published by The Minot Daily News, March 7, 2026.