David C. Hudak

David C. Hudak, 83, of Bloomington passed away on Monday, August 26, 2024 at his home with his family by his side. Dave graduated from Ashland High School, Ashland, Ohio in 1958 and was a proud member of the FFA.. Dave graduated from THE Ohio State University in 1965 (finally) after being on academic probation for five quarters, yet somehow left in the upper 18% of his class (miracles can still happen) majoring in Wildlife Management. College was interrupted for one year of active military duty due to the Berlin Crisis. Dave was hired soon after graduation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at the Lebanon, Ohio Field Office where he stayed for 12 years. The highlight of that tour of duty was being the USFWS representative on a multi-biological team that studied the biotic attributes of Little Beaver Creek and a large segment of the Little Miami River for potential inclusion in the national system of Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers. The U.S. Congress approved our favorable recommendation for inclusion of both. Ultimately, Dave was asked to go to Indiana to locate a site for a new USFWS office to deal with fish and wildlife issues in that State. Dave chose Bloomington, a Big 10 town (Indiana University). The family moved there in 1978. Dave spent the next 20 years supervising that station and its rotation of highly educated and dedicated staff, until retiring in 1998. Some of the highlights of that tour of duty included: Restoration of thousands of acres of wetlands, prairies and forests. Oversight of numerous cases involving damages to fish and wildlife and their habitats by polluters resulting in several millions of dollars of mitigation penalties. One case was a $1.3 million settlement involving polychlorinated biphenols (pcbs) in the Bloomington, IN area. Oversaw endangered species projects including a national settlement with the mid-western coal industry to protect federally threatened copper belly water snake habitat that necessitated Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit coming to Kentucky for a multi-state meeting to oversee a satisfactory settlement for both sides. Assisted the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife developing a "hacking" (reintroduction) program for the bald eagle (federally endangered at that time.) Oversaw preparation of a biological report that was the basis to stop a U.S. Representative's attempt to use the Wabash River as a coal barge canal from the Ohio River to Lake Erie, the last segment to the lake a proposed dug ditch. Submitted the original paperwork and plans required for U.S. Congressional approval for the establishment of the Patoka River National Refuge and the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, both in southern Indiana. Lead the effort to establish a proposed Kankakee River National Wildlife Refuge in northern Indiana. Recognized as one of the founders of Goose Pond in southern Indiana, now an approximate 8,000 acre nationally- recognized bird use and conservation area. Restored wetlands on the property of Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, the internationally recognized obnoxious, lasagna-eating feline of comic strip fame. Subsequently, Jim did a public Service TV announcement extolling the value of wetlands and the need to protect them. A huge spinoff of the TV exposure resulted in the inclusion of the message in Weekly Reader (remember way back when?) which reached approximately 1,000,000 first graders. Chaired Indiana's Biodiversity Initiative for four years. One of the founders of the Sycamore Land Trust, saving natural areas, green space, and farmland. Lead land acquisition effort for the first ten years of establishment. Upon retirement in 1998, Dave had amassed 35 conservation awards: including receiving a letter of congratulations from Hillary and President Bill Clinton. Dave’s career has been chronicled in the U.S. Congressional Record by U.S. Representative Tim Roemer. Named a "Distinguished Hoosier" by Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon. After an electrofishing trip in a creek near his elementary school, one young lad in the class sent a note saying he was going to be a welder and would teach Dave how to weld. That one hung on office wall for a long time. Dave received a note from Jim Davis wishing him "good luck" and that he would "miss him." True to form, Garfield bade him "good riddance." Can't win 'em all! Dave was one of those lucky people who spent a career doing what he loved, working with highly motivated people as dedicated as he was. Biggest regret. Being a "slacker" in high school decades before the word became famous in the American lexicon, never even remotely applying whatever academic and athletic potential he had, and he regretted it to this day. Wished a thousand times he could do high school over. Dave and his wife are proud parents of Molly and Dan, two hard-working, honest, productive citizens. Grandson Ben, twenty, loves sports, especially basketball and football, and is expected to top out at 6'7”. He is survived by his wife, Mary Kathryn Hudak of Bloomington; two children, Molly Philips husband Mark of Wichita, KS; Dan Hudak and Mary Ann of Bloomington; his grandson Ben Philips of Wichita, KS; and many nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his parents Charles B. and Rose Mary Hudak and his brother Charles A. Hudak. A celebration of life service will be held at 4:00pm Sunday, September 1, 2024 at the Allen Funeral Home 4155 S. Old St Rd 37 Bloomington. Visitation will be held from 2:00pm to time-of-service Sunday, September 1, 2024 also at the funeral home. Cremation Rites have been accorded. In lieu of flowers memorial contribution may be made to the Sycamore Land Trust or the Monroe County Humane Society. Allen Funeral Home and Crematory have been entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with family and friends at www.allencares.com

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David C. Hudak

August 29, 1940 - August 26, 2024