Hudson Joseph Meek

Hudson Joseph Meek, 16 years old from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, died peacefully on December 21, 2024. He was surrounded by friends, family, and the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hudson was an organ donor, and his family is comforted by knowing that he will continue to help others for years to come.

A Celebration of Hudson’s Life will take place on December 28, 2024 at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama at 11:30 am central time, and a visitation with the family will begin at 9:30 am central. You may livestream the service via Hudson’s Instagram account or Lani’s Facebook account. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hudson J. Meek Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a Vestavia Hills High School student. Contributions can be made by Venmo to HudsonMeekScholarship or by making a deposit at any Wells Fargo branch into Account #5908190381.

Hudson was born on August 5, 2008 to his parents, Derek Firth Meek and Lani Wells Meek. He was a sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School and a proud member of the Vestavia Hills Rebel Football Team. He was also involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Honor Choir, and SGA. Outside of school, Hudson loved gathering with his close friends, water sports, anything in the woods, traveling, and acting for television and film. He loved playing and watching all sports, but especially football, basketball, boxing, and anything involving the Auburn Tigers.

Hudson was reflective and thoughtful, however he was tenacious when he set his mind to something. He became a certified open water scuba diver at 13 years old and followed that up with an advanced open water certification later that year. He visited all 50 U.S. states and next wanted to visit all 7 continents. He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt. One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding. Some of the less active achievements he was proud of included video games and binge-watching every single episode of all 36 seasons of “The

Simpsons” and a variety of other shows, many of which were viewed without his parents’ knowledge and probably weren’t appropriate for whatever age he was when he watched them. Hudson had a keen ear for great music and was constantly editing “the perfect playlist” for every occasion. He fiercely loved the family dog, “Rosie”, who already knows something is off at home without him and is grieving in her own way.

Hudson’s personality was one of a kind. He was confident, convicted in his beliefs, spontaneous, and quick-witted. He never let the facts get in the way of a funny story, and he loved friendly banter. He was a prankster, loved a good joke, and was happiest when he was making others laugh. Hudson thrived in settings that allowed him to meet and serve new people. Hudson was a vibrant and dynamic person who lived life to the fullest.

Hudson was also an accomplished actor. He worked on several major motion pictures and television shows, some of which will be released in 2025. He absolutely loved spending time on set and having the chance to learn the names and stories of every member of the cast and crew.

More than anything, Hudson was passionate about his Christian faith. He loved Bible Study meetings, youth retreats, mission trips, and just being at church. An active member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Hudson also attended youth events with friends at Shades Mountain Baptist, Vestavia Hills United Methodist, Mountain Brook Community Church, and any other church he could find with a youth event that focused on Jesus Christ. He especially loved gathering with his football teammates for Bible Study at the home of Coach Buddy Anderson.

Other worship leaders too numerous to name poured into Hudson’s Christian walk, and some of Hudson’s most impactful moments came from faith-based meetings that shaped his spirituality. Hudson’s family is comforted and eternally grateful for those and other moments where adults fostered the faith of Hudson and students like him.

Hudson loved his family. He was survived by his parents; his older brother Tucker Firth Meek; his grandmothers Margaret Green Meek and Faye Searcy Wells; Aunt and Uncle Douglas Christopher Royal and Laura Elizabeth Royal; Aunt and Uncle William Harvey Klima, Jr. (Bill) and Dorothy Elizabeth Klima (Liddy); First Cousins William Harvey Klima, III (Tripp), Benjamin Warren Klima, Vincent Wells Klima, Tyson Kate Royal, and Sydney Parks Royal; countless other cousins and relatives which he loved to see at family gatherings: and he is further survived by other friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Harold Firth Meek (2018) Joseph Lance Wells (2006), and his uncle, Joseph Warren Wells (1987).