Bishop F Wendell Hudspeth

Bishop Frank Wendell Hudspeth, age 84, of Guntersville, a devoted husband, father, “Paw Paw,” “Pappy,” “Daddy Wen,” and pastor to many, met his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at Crossville Health and Rehabilitation. Bishop Hudspeth was born on March 8, 1937 in Louisville, Mississippi to Bill and Maudie Hudspeth. Although he went by Wendell, he was named “Frank” after the physician who helped deliver him for $12. At age 4, his family moved to Anniston, Alabama. In 1948, at 11 years of age, Bishop Hudspeth’s life was changed forever when he and his father were saved at Antioch Baptist Church during a revival that lasted 8 weeks with no preaching. Two years later at 13, he received his call into the ministry and became known as the “Boy Preacher,” conducting revivals in Mississippi. As a junior high student in Anniston, he received rare permission from his teachers to leave the classroom and go pray in the hills, often being gone for hours. He was not apprehensive at all to begin praying right in the middle of class or telling his classmates to “Get right with God!” Bishop Hudspeth attended Oxford High School and Lee College. As a traveling evangelist, a picture of a beautiful woman in the Lee College Vindauga Yearbook caught his eye, and he immediately fell in love. Her name was Jo Ann Hollis. Although she was spoken for by the first cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, and Jimmy Swaggart, he was love stricken and pursued Jo Ann by following and attending her speaking engagements. Bishop Hudspeth noticed an empty seat next to her at a church meeting and asked, "Is this seat saved for me?" She replied with "Sure." Jo Ann admitted in a write up several years ago that she, too, was stricken by the very handsome and confident evangelist. “I remember the first time I held his hand. It was July 1956. School was out for the summer. It was ‘Camp Meeting,’ and he asked if he ‘could take me home.’ I took his hand as we walked up to the house. Wendell stated to me that he still remembers the thrill he felt. 9 days later, July 16, we held hands again in the Anniston parsonage. Pastor A.L. Burroughs asked us to repeat ‘To have and to hold from this day forward till death do us part.’ Wendell had to work until 6:00 PM the night of the wedding. He had to be back at work the next day at noon. We had no money - no home - no furniture - a 1951 Ford that he was making payments on - but we had a call from God to preach the Gospel!” Together, they forged a 64-year marriage of ministry until Bishop Hudspeth lost his true love in 2020. “Jo Ann was the only thing I remember ever stealing,” he once admitted. Bishop Hudspeth received his Exhorter license in the Church of God in 1956, became a licensed minister in 1957, and became the first Assistant Pastor in Alabama at Prichard Church of God in Mobile. He received his Ordination in 1968 and became an Ordained Bishop in the Church of God in 2000. He and Jo Ann’s first pastorate appointment was Uniontown in 1957. They would pastor 10 other churches over the next 61 years, twice at Overton (Birmingham) and Guntersville Church of God. All of the churches were in Alabama except their third pastorate in Winona, MS. Other churches included Arab, Old Davis Town (Anniston), Straight Creek (Fyffe), Pell City, Tarrant City, Pratt Highway (Birmingham), and Trinity Tabernacle (Albertville). In 1970, Bishop and Mrs. Hudspeth and their four children, Shaina, Todd, Shon, and Brien (B.B.) relocated to Guntersville from Pell City to pastor the Guntersville Church of God that was located on Blount/Henry (across from Oliver Tire Pros) at the time. In addition to pastoring, Bishop Hudspeth had a radio ministry at WTWX/WGSV for several seasons to be a “Voice for God” over the airwaves. His loving, caring, and motivational influence reached countless lives and even inspired a book on his knowledge of the ministry. Bishop Hudspeth had 3 Great Loves in his life - God, Family, and People. His resounding message was “God is So Good All the Time! Live Happy, Be Sweet and Kind and Loving to Everyone, and Be Ready to Go When Jesus Calls for Us!” In 1975, the Hudspeths relocated to Birmingham. While pastoring in Birmingham, Bishop Hudspeth took classes to become a physician. Although he ultimately decided on administering only the Lord’s medicine, his encouragement and positive attitude combatted most illnesses and problems people were facing, penning the name, Dr. Vobeanygothrox Delegardo. He returned back to Guntersville a second time in 1980 to pastor the Church of God. The church soon outgrew its building, and Bishop Hudspeth built the new church that is now known as the River Church. While building the new church and serving as pastor and district overseer, Bishop Hudspeth started Aqua Lab & Research, a water purification company. What started out as a fundraiser for the new church turned into a 38-year-old business. He was a natural salesman but admitted his knees shook a little during his first sales presentation. However, in just a short time, Bishop Hudspeth became certified in water purification and had water purification systems in homes that spanned across 8 states. He considered the business an extension of his ministry, and he absolutely loved it and, especially, his customers. He would often pray with his clients before leaving their homes. Bishop Hudspeth loved to study the Bible and was known as a prayer warrior. He had a prayer list that often contained over 1,000 names from all over the country that he prayed over in the morning and at night. It didn’t matter what he had planned, he would never miss praying over others and their needs. In 1988, Bishop Hudspeth was invited to speak at Trinity Tabernacle, a non-denominational church in Albertville. The congregation enjoyed his message and loving heart so much that they asked if he would be pastor of the church. He accepted, organized the church into the Church of God denomination, and continued his ministry legacy as their pastor for the next thirty years. In October 2018, just two months after announcing his retirement from Trinity on his 30th anniversary, Bishop Hudspeth sustained a traumatic brain injury from a fall and had to be flown by helicopter to Huntsville Hospital, resulting in brain surgery the next day. Following the recovery from his injury, he resided at Bridgewood Gardens in Albertville where he was devotion pastor. Bishop Hudspeth and Jo Ann led Sunday services until March 2020. In June 2021, he moved to Crossville Health and Rehabilitation. Bishop Hudspeth, aka “Our Sweet Darling Daddy,” is survived by his three sons, Todd Hudspeth of Langston, Shon Hudspeth of Nashville, Tennessee, and Brien "B.B." Hudspeth of Guntersville; sisters, Pat (Gaylon) Hudspeth Edwards of Fayetteville, NC and Becky (Tommy) Hudspeth King of Fayetteville, NC; brother, Eddie Hudspeth of Lincoln, AL; grandchildren, Jennifer (Nate) Hudspeth Johnson, Allen Hudspeth, Caleb Hudspeth, Brittany Gilbreath, Shain Gilbreath, and Ren Hudspeth; great grandchildren, Tyson Hudspeth, Jayden Hudspeth, Max Johnson, and Audrianna Grace Johnson; and countless "adopted children." He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Jo Ann Hollis Hudspeth; daughter, Shaina Hudspeth Gilbreath; and parents, Bill and Maudie Hudspeth. Visitation will be Friday, September 10th, 2021, 5-8pm at Guntersville Memorial Chapel. Bishop Hudspeth will lie in state on Saturday, September 11th, 2021 10AM-2PM at Guntersville Memorial Chapel. Funeral Service to follow in the Chapel at 2pm.

Bishop F Wendell Hudspeth

March 8, 1937 - August 12, 2021