Widow of former Forrest County tax collector sworn into position

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - With Forrest County recently losing Billy Hudson, a well-known business man in the community, his wife stepped into his shoes.

Barbara Hudson was sworn in Monday by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors to finish out her husband’s term as the county tax collector.

“It’s been customary in years past to allow the widow to finish out the elected official’s term in these circumstances,” said David Hogan, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors.

“This close to the election, we just felt it would be best to let Ms. Barbara take this and we thank her for her willingness to step in.”

Hudson said with her husband’s long legacy of serving the Pine Belt, she wanted to take this position in his remembrance.

“I’m really excited about this,” Barbara Hudson said. “I’m not a stay-at-home person so this will get me out of the house and keep me busy. And especially with the holidays coming up, it will be very hard to stay at home.”

“And I’ve been down to this office a lot with Billy, even when he was a supervisor and a senator, so I’ve been in politics with him a long time.”

Hudson’s term will end Dec. 31, 2023.

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