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Catherine M. Hudgins, the first African American woman elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, died Saturday, May 24, leaving a legacy that stretches from neighborhood services to the region’s Metro system.
Hudgins represented the Hunter Mill District for 20 years, serving from 1999 to 2019. During her tenure, she pushed Fairfax County toward more inclusive planning, expanded support for underserved residents and helped shape transportation investments that transformed Tysons, Reston and surrounding communities.
Walter Alcorn, the current Hunter Mill District supervisor, said Hudgins left an enduring mark across Fairfax County. He highlighted her role in creating the One Fairfax policy and the Successful Children and Youth Policy Team, saying her life of service helped make the world better.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1944, Hudgins earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arkansas. She later moved to Washington, D.C., where she met her husband, Willie J. Hudgins Jr. The couple settled in Reston in 1969.
Amanda Misiko Andere remembered Hudgins as a friend, mentor and determined advocate for people facing multiple forms of marginalization. Her death came only weeks after she had been honored.
A lasting impact on regional transit
Hudgins played a major role in bringing the Metro Silver Line through Tysons and into western Fairfax County. She viewed the expansion as more than a transportation project, seeing it as a way to connect underserved areas, encourage economic growth and improve residents’ quality of life.
The Silver Line ultimately linked Tysons with Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center and Dulles International Airport, reshaping travel and development across the region.
Hudgins also spent 11 years on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board and served as its chair from 2011 to 2012. Her work included helping the agency adopt its first bylaws and a modernized code of ethics.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, who served alongside Hudgins locally and on the WMATA Board, remembered her as a friend and regional leader who brought an equity-focused perspective to transportation decisions.
Championing housing and human services
Beyond transit, Hudgins advocated for affordable housing, human services and equitable neighborhoods. She chaired the Board of Supervisors’ Human Services and Housing Committee and worked to extend resources to communities that were often overlooked.
She also championed the South Gate Community Center from its earliest planning through completion. The facility became a neighborhood hub and was renamed in her honor in 2021.
Hudgins received numerous honors during her career, including the Community Builders Award, an NAACP honor and the Wayne F. Anderson Award for Distinguished Public Service.
She is survived by her sister, Dolores Muse; her sons, Michael and Tony; her daughter-in-law, Sarah Wolf; and two granddaughters. Her husband predeceased her.
A funeral will be held June 6, 2025, at Saint Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, 1421 Wiehle Avenue in Reston. Visitation is scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by the service from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and a reception from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.